A New Start
by MusicPlayer81
Summary: Korra, the five year old Avatar, is abandoned after an Equalist attack on the compound. Lin, on the outs with Tenzin, decides to adopt her. How will their lives change? Rated T, just to be safe.
1. Just Rumors

"Mommy, look!"

Korra went through her waterbending forms, squealing if even the slightest bit of water deviated from its path.

Senna looked up from the dress she was making for her daughter and smiled. Korra was a talented bender, no doubt-she was the Avatar, after all-but sometimes she wondered if her daughter was a little too enamored with her skills.

"She gets stronger by the day, doesn't she Sen?"

Tensing up at the hand on her shoulder, she relaxed upon hearing her husband's voice.

"That she does, Tonraq. I have a feeling it won't be long until she masters waterbending."

"Of course she will, she's part of the Water Tribe! It's an unwritten requirement that she master waterbending first!" he laughed.

Senna laughed as well, but her face grew long.

"Ton, why are you back? You weren't supposed to come back until the hunting expedition ended next month, and don't tell me you were the only one who missed their wife too much to stay. Something's wrong, I can feel it!"

Tonraq's easy smile drew into a hard line as his jaw tightened.

"It's nothing, Sen...they're probably just rumors," he muttered.

Senna's eyes narrowed. "Katara, could you watch Korra for a minute?"

Once the aging master had settled in with her student, she turned to her husband.

"Inside, NOW. I think we need to talk." Turning around to make sure her daughter was distracted, she and her husband went inside.

She busied herself, setting out a hearty serving of five-flavor soup, stewed sea prunes, and tea before settling down. Tonraq hesitated, then started to speak.

"We had just bagged a few seals when we went down to the ice floes-you know, where the penguins are? Anyway, Nakoda and I had decided to go and scout ahead while the others set up camp. We had just found a perfect place when we saw two men there already."

Senna raised an eyebrow. "You do know that your group isn't the only one that goes hunting at the floes, right?

Tonraq sighed. "Let me continue."

"These men weren't from the Tribe-or, at least, I don't think they were, because they were covered from head to toe and had weird goggle coverings over their eyes. We surmised that they were newbies to the region that didn't know how to approach a penguin. Then they started talking about the Avatar."

He paused as his wife gasped.

"They know that the Avatar is at our compound due to the presence of White Lotus guards," Tonraq said. "That she is a young girl no older than five or six who is already a formidable bender. They started getting really mad the more they talked about the Avatar, and they whipped out these batons and started electrocuting the penguins!"

"Ton, what are we going to do? The fact that these men are so close to our daughter sends shivers down my spine!"

"It gets worse," he said quietly. "After taking out their anger on the penguins, they started talking about how they and the others were coming to the compound in three nights. I don't know about you, but my senses are telling me that this won't be a peaceful reunion.

"That's why I returned. I am to tell the others what's going on while Nakoda readies the men to fight."

Senna thought for a moment. "KATARA!" she yelled.

The waterbender rushed into the house with her protege in tow. Upon looking at the couple's worried faces, she turned to the child.

"Korra dear, you should go to sleep. We've been working hard on your bending, and you've done well. Don't you try to protest-I saw that yawn you tried to stifle! Now go to your room dear, your parents and I have a lot to catch up on."

Once the little girl was out of earshot, she faced the couple. "My dear students, what is going on? I know that you two don't worry about anything unless it's important, so I want to hear everything."

Tonraq disappeared into the kitchen, only to reappear with a plate of dinner and some tea. Setting it in front of their old master, he proceeded to retell his story. Katara said nothing, save for a nod or an occasional sip of her tea. Once it was done, she rose.

"If what the men said is true, then Korra is in grave danger! We need to get her to Republic City, and fast. Thankfully, my son Tenzin called me this morning. He and his girlfriend are coming to visit in two days."

The waterbender paused.

"Barring any delays, I see no reason why they can't take Korra with them to Republic City."

For the first time in what seemed like ages, they smiled.

"Thank you Sifu Katara. I don't know how we can ever repay you," said Senna.

Now it was Katara's turn to smile.

"There's no need. Seeing the relief on your faces is payment enough."


	2. Preparations

**Chapter 2**

The next morning Korra awoke to a flurry of activity occurring in the compound. Men were sharpening their fighting skills; women were readying armor; children, if they weren't being evacuated, were practicing their bending in case any soldier was brave enough to challenge them.

Rubbing her eyes, Korra headed down the stairs towards the kitchen only to find her mother and Katara engrossed in an argument.

"The benders should be first!" Senna said. "They are our strongest warriors; thus, we would be able to take down the intruders faster as opposed to using non-benders!"

"My dear student, those batons the intruders carry do not distinguish between bender and nonbender. It is best we put non-benders as our first line of defense. If non-benders are taken down, it is not as devastating as it would be with benders," Katara argued.

"Mommy, Sifu, what's going on?"

The women quickly turned in surprise to find the little girl looking up at them with wide eyes.

"Hi there sweetie, Katara and I were just debating what we would do if we were caught in a battle," Senna explained as she scooped her daughter into her arms and gave her daughter a peck on the cheek.

"Are you hungry? I made you some penguin eggs with fish. I'll get you a plate," Katara offered.

Korra, snuggling closer to her mother, nodded. Katara disappeared into the kitchen and soon reappeared with the promised food. The little girl, after being placed on the ground by her mother, ran eagerly towards the food. As soon as she was finished, she was shooed out by Katara.

"Katara, did I do the right thing by not telling her what was really going on?" Senna asked.

The master pondered for a moment.

"Yes. You did do the right thing by not telling your daughter. She's only five after all-it's probably best to shield her while we still can. In the meantime, perhaps we should work on a viable battle strategy..."

Outside, Tonraq practiced his bending with Nakoda.

"You're getting soft, my friend!" laughed Nakoda as Tonraq barely deflected the water whip that was destined for his chest.

Tonraq gave only a simple laugh, letting his retaliatory water jet do most of the talking for him.

"Oof! I guess I should take that back now, shouldn't I? But you haven't gotten me yet!"

Nakoda and Tonraq proceeded to battle it out throughout the compound, throwing at each other an impressive array of water bullets, water drills, and even some new moves. Korra, having never seen anyone but herself, Katara, and her mother waterbend, was delighted by the display. After seeing Nakoda throw ice disks only a hair above her father's head, she decided to join in.

"Look at what I can do, Daddy!"

Summoning all her effort, she surrounded herself with a water cloak. If not for Nakoda's quick reflexes, he and Tonraq would have hit square in the head by one of the water whips she created.

"I've got to say Tonraq," said Nakoda while stretching out his sore body, "I don't think I've ever been prouder of my goddaughter."

"I could probably think of a few other moments," Tonraq grinned, tackling his best friend.

"Just what is going on here?"

Tonraq released his chokehold on Nakoda at the sound of his wife's voice.

"I was-we were just-"

Senna raised an eyebrow.

"Look, the next time you guys spar, try not to do so in front of Korra. She can be very...impressionable." Motioning with her head, the men turned to find the little girl forming ice claws and throwing them at imaginary opponents.

"I'll take care of it," Nakoda said. "She's doing the form wrong anyway."

"Nakoda! You're supposed to be telling her that she shouldn't be doing that in the first place!"

"Senna, I'm her godfather; I'm supposed to let her do what her parents don't want her to!" With a laugh he trotted towards the little girl.

Finally alone, she faced her husband.

"Come with me. Katara wants to speak to both of us, and it doesn't sound good."

Hand in hand, they strolled to the master's house. It was a small but cozy affair, partially built out of stone and ice. Once inside, Katara practically forced them to the dinner table where she fed them two-headed fish soup, which they then washed down with leechi juice.

"You're probably wondering why I brought you here today," said the waterbending master.

"I thought you just wanted to see us," said Tonraq.

"That's true, but the reason why I brought you here is because Tenzin called me today."

"Really? What did he say?" questioned Senna.

Katara hesitated.

"He's not coming tomorrow."


	3. Precious Moments

**Chapter 3**

The couple sat in stunned silence.

"I'm so sorry," Katara quietly said, tears coming to her eyes.

Tonraq put his large palm on his former teacher's shoulder.

"It's okay, Katara," he said, his voice hollow. "I'm sure there's another way to keep Korra safe."

"Maybe so. For now, you should go spend some time with your daughter. Perhaps you all could play with these?"

Katara held up two dolls, one that was dressed like the moon spirit and the other like a Northern Water tribe waterbender.

"I remember these! Kya and I would play with them in the attic all the time!" Senna exclaimed.

"I remember the attic! When you girls weren't in there, Bumi and I would spy on-"

"So it's true!"

Senna spun around upon hearing Katara.

"What do you mean? What's true?"

Katara chuckled.

"Senna dear, have you ever wondered why you and Tonraq were never in classes together?"

The young wife pondered for a moment.

"Hmm, now that I think of it that is rather odd…"

"It's because the minute you walked by him everything flew out the window. I can't tell you how many times he watched you from the attic during your lessons, or lost his train of thought because you looked his way. He couldn't take his eyes off you-still can't, for that matter."

Senna clutched her husband's arm and smiled, only to find the smile being returned by her husband.

"Wait Katara," Tonraq said. "Is the attic still-"

"Set up with a bed, food, and toys? It is. Why do you a-"

A smile came to her face.

"Of course! We can hide Korra in my attic! It's warm, there's enough food and toys to keep her inside, and the trapdoor is hidden so she can't be found!"

For what seemed like the first time in a while, the trio felt relief.

"At least we have a plan," said Katara.

"You all should go. Nakoda's outside waiting for you."

After putting on their warm fur coats, the master showed them to the door.

"I don't want to see any of you tomorrow," she stated.

"Wait, what?" Senna asked, pausing mid-stride.

"Like I said, you need to spend as much time as you can with your daughter. You never know when you'll get another chance to." With that she closed her door.

Tonraq gave Senna a hug.

"We are going to get through this, Sen," he whispered. "I promise."

"Should I leave or something…?"

They released their hold on each other to find Nakoda holding a sleeping Korra.

"Thanks for taking care of her, Nakoda," Senna said while taking her daughter into her arms. "We're really grateful."

"Anytime. Now go to sleep you lovebirds! I better not see you tomorrow!" he called after them.

"Yeah, yeah," said Tonraq, waving him away from their doorstep.

Once inside, the exhausted couple put a sleeping Korra in her bed before retiring to their room for the night. Not five minutes later, Korra woke up, saw that she was alone, and ran to join her parents in their room.

**XxXxXxOoOoOoxXxXxX**

In the morning Korra woke up to the sound of her parents laughing in the kitchen. Dragging herself out of bed, she walked down the stairs to find her parents thoroughly enjoying a 'friendly' game of pai sho.

"Hi princess!" Tonraq said, grabbing his daughter and tickling her until she turned red from laughter. "Did you sleep well?"

"I made you a bowl of crab stew if you want some," said Senna, already bringing her daughter a plate.

Korra was slightly confused. Her parents weren't usually home at this time. Besides, they seemed a little too..._eager_.

"Shouldn't I be at practice?" Korra asked quizzically.

"Your mother and Sifu Katara decided that it would be best to give you a day off," her father explained. "After all, it's not good at all to work and work and work and never get any time off."

"So I have the entire day to play with you guys?" she said slowly.

Both of them nodded.

"YAY! That means you finally get to teach me how to play pai sho!" she screamed while clapping her hands with glee.

Her parents looked at each other and groaned. This was going to be a long, _long_ day.

**XxXxXxOoOoOoxXxXxX**

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Korra more or less got the gist of pai sho, but it was unanimously agreed upon that she did not possess the patience for it. Nakoda came in and out, saying hello to Senna and playing with his goddaughter while updating Tonraq on the state of affairs.

Korra also managed to rope Tonraq into playing dress-up with her (he was the princess while she was the dashing prince, much to her mother's amusement), along with making him her sky bison that flew her all over the Earth Kingdom. The little girl was in the middle of singing an old nursery rhyme and playing on her toy yueqin with her mother when she caught her parents gazing wistfully at her.

"Mommy, daddy, what's wrong?" she asked upon seeing their sorrowful faces.

"It's just that you're growing up so fast," said her mother forlornly. "Before long you'll be all grown up and you'll leave us here by our lonesome."

"Don't say that Mommy! I'll always be here!" exclaimed Korra. She was about to reach for a hug when she noticed something off about the sky.

"Mommy, why is the sky glowing?" she questioned.

Tonraq and Senna looked at each other, their faces filled with fear.

_This wasn't supposed to happen! Not right now!_

"I don't know sweetheart," said Tonraq. "But if we go to Sifu Katara's attic, we'll be able to see why."

With that he picked up his daughter and took her to Katara's house, singing soothing lullabies the entire way. By the time he laid her in the attic's bed, Korra was sound asleep.

"Goodnight my love," he breathed. "Your mother and I love you more than you'll ever know. No matter what happens tonight, know that you will always be my princess and our little girl." With a kiss and one last gaze, he departed.

For now, it was time to fight.


	4. A Visit From The Avatars

I should probably take the time to say that these characters (save for Nakoda) are not mine but Nickelodeon's. However, the lullaby that you will find below is indeed mine.

Anyway, happy reading!

* * *

_Korra was having very strange dreams._

_She dreamt that while she was playing with the dollhouse in Sifu Katara's attic, five oddly dressed people appeared._

_One was a man, dressed in the fur coats of the Water Tribe._

_Another was a women, who wore face paint and carried a golden fan._

_Next to her was a man clothed in robes of the Fire Nation._

_Finally was a man and a woman, each dressed in monk's robes and bearing blue arrow tattoos on their shaved heads._

_They sat down by her at first and decided to play with her too. The face-painted lady spoke of how she reminded her of her daughter Koko, strong and spirited. Fire-nation man said that yes, she was like Koko, but he reminded her most of his favorite granddaughter Ursa. While the arrowheads agreed with everyone else, they both said that she was the spitting image of Kya as a girl. _

_Confused by all the people, she started to inch away from them and towards the window, where she was promptly pulled down by the fan-lady. Scared and wanting her parents, she started to cry. After soothing her, the group of people introduced themselves._

_They were her._

_She was them._

_They were all Avatars, masters of all four elements._

_Yangchen, arrowhead #1, was the eldest out of all of them and a native airbender._

_Kuruk, the Water Tribesman, was her successor._

_Kyoshi followed him and by using her golden fans she was able to create Kyoshi Island._

_Roku came afterwards. A brave soul, he was a former friend of Fire Lord Sozin._

_Aang, the other arrowhead, was absent from the world for over a century. However, it was through him that the Fire Nation was finally conquered._

_And then there was her._

_She was the new protector of the world, and it was her job now to stop the evil that was starting to rise._

_Korra was confused. What were they talking about? She was all of them and was expected to stop evil?_

_But there was nothing evil going on, not at the compound!_

_Right?_

_With a sad but knowing look in their eyes, the old masters led her to the window._

_And there she saw the truth._

_The dull rusty glow she had seen earlier had transformed into a sinister bloodred. Smoke and fire plumes were everywhere. Black, faceless warriors with bulging green eyes were spilling out of the compromised defenses like ants out of an anthill. Water tribe warriors were constantly trying to fight them off, but to no avail._

_It was then that she saw Nakoda._

_He had just taken a couple of the bugmen down and was about to take down some more when he got distracted and ran towards something else, someone else._

_Her parents._

_Daddy and Mommy were fighting, backs toward each other, against a large group of the bugmen. Despite their expert use of pinwheel and octopus forms, the enemies seemed to be too much to handle. Had Nakoda not come and used an array of ice daggers at the right time, they would have been overtaken. Grateful, her parents hugged him and each other._

_It was at that moment that one of the bugmen appeared behind them._

_Korra wailed and pounded her arms against the window. She screamed at the top of her lungs, something that usually got Mommy's attention right away. When that didn't work, she tried to unlatch the window and go down there herself. Unfortunately, that only resulted in her being pulled into Avatar Kyoshi's lap and being held against her will there. She was trying to do everything in her power to let them know of the immediate danger._

_But it was all in vain._

_Within the blink of an eye the bugman used lightning against them all. As her parents and godfather screamed and writhed in pain, Korra gave off a bloodcurdling shriek. She soon started to flail around and screech in Kyoshi's grasp, which eventually gave way to gut-wrenching sobs. All the Avatars were in pain, but it seemed to be Kyoshi who suffered the most. As she rubbed the little girl's back, she looked to be on the verge of tears herself. _

_For the next couple of hours the room was filled with nothing but the weeping of the little girl. Kyoshi then started to sing a lullaby she had sung to her own daughter._

"_Under the moonlight, beneath the starry skies…" she started._

_At first this only seemed to intensify Korra's sobs. Intrigued, the other Avatars began to play closer attention to the last Earthbender Avatar._

"_The days of green just seem to fly by_

_How does nature get tired of blooming_

_It needs to rest, that's what I'm assuming…"_

_In the meantime, Korra's river of tears had subsided to nothing more than the occasional sniffle. Noting this, Kyoshi smiled and continued on._

"_We like nature, get tired and sleepy_

_But there's no need to be so weepy!_

_So here we stay and sleep, and hope for brighter days_

_For brighter days where springtime always stays._

_And soon one sad day, where we of the earth grieve_

_The days of green leave the earth be_

_But soon we start to laugh and laugh away_

_Because the green has come back -Hooray!_

_So we like nature, get tired and sleepy_

_That doesn't mean we should be so weepy!_

_That's why we stay and sleep, and hope for brighter days_

_For brighter days where springtime always stays."_

_The mood in the room at this point had brightened considerably. Everyone gave her a round of applause-even Korra, who was looking up at Kyoshi with sleepy admiration. _

_At this point Kuruk had prepared the bed, Roku had warmed up the furs, and Aang had already put a doll as a sleeping companion there. Yangchen had made breakfast for tomorrow so the little girl would have something to satiate her hunger when she woke up. Kyoshi busied herself tucking Korra in, making sure that she had her pillow fluffed just right and everything within reach. She gave Korra a kiss on the forehead._

"_Goodbye, young Avatar," she whispered._

"_We will meet again someday."_

**XxXxXxOoOoOoxXxXxX**

Korra woke up just as the morning sun's rays reached the attic window.

She sat herself up to find that she had been holding onto a golden fan and an Airbender doll. Her hair had been fashioned with a Fire Nation headpiece, and she was wearing a pretty set of Airbending monk's beads. Stomach growling, she saw a light meal of dumplings and fruit pie. She launched herself off the bed to get to the food when it struck her how cold the attic was. Thankfully, a warm Water Tribe coat was on the bedside table. Pulling it on, she ran towards her breakfast and threw herself upon it.

It didn't strike her until afterwards that all of her new clothes and toys were something that the old Avatars possessed.

"Dreams are just dreams-that's what Daddy always said," she spoke aloud.

Just to make sure, she climbed up the bed and threw open the window.

Suddenly, her dreams weren't so dream-like anymore.


	5. The Aftermath

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters save for Nakoda. Wish I did though...

Anyways, happy reading!

* * *

She stared out at the white expanse and sighed.

If there's anything that riding on the back of an air bison for days on end taught her, it was this:

Never, ever take the earth for granted.

"Sweetheart, it's not much farther," her boyfriend soothed.

She harrumphed in reply. Easy for him to say.

He was not Lin Beifong, daughter of Toph Beifong, world's greatest earth and metalbender, nor was he the new chief of Republic City's metalbending taskforce.

He most definitely could not hear the earth's whispers and shouts or feel its joys and sorrows.

She could.

That's why despite possessing a pair of perfectly functioning eyes she was blind atop his pet air bison.

"Are you sure you're there yet, Tenzin? After all, we have been getting lost these last few days…" she said.

"For spirit's sake, it was the map's fault, not mine!"

"If you had bothered to ask for directions we wouldn't be in this position!"

"We wouldn't be in this position either if we hadn't had to stop every few hours for you to practice your bending!"

Lin crossed her arms and scowled.

"Sorry, Lin dear," he mumbled. "I grabbed a bag of rocks from the last stop in case you wanted to practice."

Grudgingly she reached toward the bag and emptied its contents. After finding a rock that she was satisfied with, she bended it so that it made a boomerang-like trajectory towards the back of Tenzin's head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" he asked while rubbing the back of his head.

"Just sweet retribution," she giggled.

After practicing with the rocks a few more times, she put them away and sighed. There was nothing to do. She would have taken a nap had she not seen something that caught her eye.

"Hey, Tenzin?"

"Yes, Lin?"

"Do you see that dark spot over there?"

He was confused for a moment. There was nothing but shockingly white snow until...oh.

"Yes, I do. Why do you ask?"

"Isn't that the location of your mother and the new Avatar's village?"

She saw him sit up ramrod straight. She didn't need to see his face to know the pain and fear that was crossing his features.

"Oogi, yip yip," he said, his voice strained.

With a start the animal sped towards the village, making the black dot look more and more like a rash against the pure snow.

"With all of that smoke in the air we're going to have to stop further out," he called to Lin.

"What? Why?"

"If we're getting soot on our clothes from all the way over here how do you think the village is like?"

"Ugh, fine! You know, there's a perfectly clean place right by the village, but is never wrong…"

Tenzin rolled his eyes and steered Oogi towards the spot. His girlfriend had always been difficult, but her strong personality had been exacerbated by the trip and at this moment by the fact that she knew she was right.

After getting off the bison and helping Lin off, they took one look and gasped.

The walls surrounding the village compound were destroyed, and most every building was in shambles. The wind brought the acrid smell and taste of smoke, which also enveloped the entire area.

"Oh no," she breathed.

"Lin, is there any way for you to use your bending to find out what happened in there?" he asked, his eyes wide in panic.

She swallowed. After being on the force for over 20 years, you tend to know what lost causes look like.

"I don't know. All this snow and ice on the ground would obscure almost every detail…" she started.

"Please, Lin. You have to try, if only for me."

Sighing, she crouched to the ground and brushed off some grey sleet. Thankfully, it had been obscuring a rather large bed of rock.

_Hey,_ she thought. _At least it's something._

Lin took off her gloves and, closing her eyes, _felt_ the ground.

_The way these walls crumbled looks as if they all fell simultaneously. That had to have been done by artificial means, and not by using firebending-none of the wall appears to have been melted off. There are also a lot of men here-but nary a heartbeat. Based on the body count I would estimate a force of at least eighteen score but not more than-_

"LIN!"

"What is it Tenzin?"

"Have you found out anything?"

"I'd find out more if you let me do my thing!"

"Sorry, sorry…"

_Anyway, no more than thirty score men could have attacked the compound. The way the bodies are arranged at only certain points makes me believe that this was a systematic and premeditated invasion with set points of entry. The villagers, however, seem to have been prepared for the invasion based on the fact that there are no women or children around. Wait, those steps-those are most definitely Katara's._

She stood up, put her gloves back on, and dusted herself off.

"What did you see?" asked Tenzin.

"Basically a force of anywhere from 360 to 600 men blew up the defenses and systematically attacked the compound. They were brutally efficient, whoever they were-got in, attacked, and got out, all while leaving behind a rather large body count."

"My mother-" he asked, his voice catching, "is she-"

"No Tenzin, she's not gone," she replied with a smile. "In fact, we should be seeing her just about-"

"TENZIN!"

"Mother!" Tenzin ran towards Katara and found himself on the recieving end of a bearhug. "I was so worried when I saw the smoke. What happened here?"

"I'm actually not sure myself," said the waterbending master while giving Lin a hug. "Tonraq and Nakoda had seen some odd men with electric batons looking for the Avatar a few days back. They were supposed to meet with their cronies tonight, but as you can see that was obviously not the case."

"Speaking of Tonraq, where is he? Or Senna for that matter?" questioned Tenzin.

"During the attack last night they along with Nakoda were electrocuted by the invaders. It seems that they targeted the waterbenders in the attacks last night-too much like old times if you ask me."

"Hmm that is odd…." Tenzin pondered. "And Korra?"

"Korra was in my attic the entire time-"

"Was? Where is she now?" Lin said, an eyebrow arched.

"That's the thing. I went up to my attic this morning to check on her when I saw the window by the bed open. I thought that was odd, but then I realized that she was gone!"

"Well, she can't have gotten too far," Lin spoke. "Tenzin, I want you and Oogi to fly around the perimeter. Katara, you and I will split up the village. You'll take the left and I'll take the right. Now let's move!"

The trio split up, each taking on their respective duty. Lin was in the middle of scouting out an entrance point when tripped and fell.

"Oof!" she gasped. "I am definitely not cut out for snow and ice." She helped hoist herself up when her hand ran over a foreign object.

"Wow," she said to herself. "This is a beautiful-"

She never got to finish her sentence.


	6. Korra Introduces Herself

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters-Nickelodeon does. Wish I did though...

Thank you all for your kind comments! You are so sweet :)

Happy reading!

* * *

Lin found herself tumbling head over heels as her unknown assailant tried to scratch and pummel her into the snow. Freeing an arm from underneath her, she snatched the collar of her attacker's shirt only to find…

A little girl?

She looked to be part of the Water Tribe, but she was wearing monk's beads and had fashioned her hair in the style of the Fire Nation. Holding her at arms' length, she still flailed about, and even managed to leave Lin with two nice, long, bloody gashes.

"KORRA!" Katara yelled. "JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?"

"SHE TRIED TO TAKE MAMA'S NECKLACE! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO?"

Lin's eyes flicked between the still-struggling little girl and the necklace on the ground. It was exquisite-a traditional betrothal necklace, it featured delicate carvings of the moon influencing the tides. Whoever this girl's parents were, they clearly loved each other.

How nice that must feel.

"You know this...child, Katara?" she asked dubiously, not even sure if the heathen she was holding qualified as a child.

"Of course I do-she's my student and the new Avatar!"

She had to do a double take. Aang, sweet-tempered, vegetarian-because-he-couldn't-hurt-a-fly Aang was reincarnated into _her?_

"Lin!" Tenzin ran over, face and head red from exertion. "What happened to your face?"

Using her free hand, she felt around for the gashes the little girl left. When she pulled away, her fingers were crimson with blood.

"Katara, is there any way you can maybe take care of this?" she said, lowering the child to the ground and gesturing towards her face.

"Of course. Stand still." Before she knew it, her face was back to its, normal, unmarred self.

"Necklace lady?" a small voice asked.

"Lin," she corrected.

"I'm sorry about hurting your face," Korra said, her head hung low.

Something in Lin softened. She had fight in her, but it was obvious how sweet she could be as well.

Kind of like her.

"It's okay, Korra, just try not to do it again," she said. "Here, turn around." Lin took the necklace from the ground and tied it around the little girl's neck. "There. You look pretty."

Korra looked down at her new pendant and smiled. Against her small neck it was comically large, but the little girl didn't seem to notice. She gave her a hug and then ran off to play with a large pile of snow.

"I've got to say, Airhead, your persuasion skills are top notch," Lin commented.

"How did you know I was-earthbending, right," Tenzin said. "Anyways, Mother said to get some of Korra's things. She's going to Republic City with us."

"Wait, who's going to Republic City? Korra or your mother?"

"Both. Now come on, Korra's house is right here."

They entered the tidy two-story house to find it empty and desolate. Climbing the stairs, they entered Korra's room.

It was cozy. The walls were painted a sky blue, with darker hues and scales painted on to create a mural depicting the moon spirit practicing bending with a young girl. The floors were carpeted with woven rugs, and the bed was hand-carved with furs for bedsheets. A carved dresser held her clothes, and a painted toy box (also carved) held everything she played with.

While Tenzin busied himself gathering what possessions she had, Lin's eyes fell upon an old photo album on Korra's nightstand. She flipped through the pages, watching Korra grow from a bald, toothless infant to a toddling tyke to the beaming five year old that she was now. Her gaze lingered on two family pictures. In one, Senna was holding Korra while Tonraq hugged both of them. In the other, Tonraq held a giggling Korra as he was tickling her. Senna was kissing her daughter's cheek.

"They look so happy," she murmured.

"That could be us one day," Tenzin said, awkwardly placing his hand on her shoulder.

"Maybe," she said, shaking off his hand. "We should probably go-we've been gone for too long."

Sighing, Tenzin took his bag of Korra's belongings and headed out to his air bison.

Sure enough, Katara was already there with her belongings. Korra was alternating between playing in the saddle with Katara and play-riding Oogi. Upon seeing Lin, she hopped down from the air bison and threw herself into the metalbender's arms.

"Hey there kiddo, I've missed you too," said Lin, pulling the little girl into her arms. "Say, have you ever been riding on a sky bison?"

Korra shook her head.

"Well, you won't be able to say that anymore, because you're going to Republic City on one!"

Korra then squealed and tried to drag Lin onto the saddle, but was lifted up by the earthbender instead. The minute Tenzin said "Yip, yip, Oogi!" and everyone lurched into the air, the tiny child's smile was so long it took up her entire face. She ran around out of sheer joy, using her golden fan to try and bend the wind to no avail. It wasn't long before the young girl crawled into Lin's lap and fell asleep.

"Tenzin," she called out softly. "Maybe we should camp out for the night? Korra's out like a light, and I don't think that's going to change anytime soon."

"Yes of course," he replied, looking fondly the picture before him. Before long, tents had been set up and a fire was roaring. Tenzin and Korra had retired to a tent, leaving Lin and Katara alone by the fire.

"Lin, what's been going on? You and Tenzin seem...tense."

"It's nothing, Katara. You don't need to worry about it."

"You can tell me things, you know. I won't tattle to my son."

"Are you sure you want to know?"

Katara nodded her head.

"I can't have kids."


	7. Trouble In Paradise

I own none of these characters; Nickelodeon does. If only I could...

Sorry about the delay. Summer institutes don't leave me enough free time to write and publish.

Anyways, happy reading!

* * *

A melancholy silence filled the air.

"Have you at least...tried?" asked Katara.

"Of course we have! The last time was a couple months ago, after the doctor gave us the news," stammered a slightly blushing Lin.

Katara only nodded.

"I've more or less come to terms with the fact that I may never have kids naturally," Lin said.

"But that's not an option for Tenzin."

Katara hesitated for a moment, then spoke.

"You know, sometimes we do beat the odds. Aang beat Fire Lord Ozai. Toph had you. You will have children! I promise."

Lin let her words sink in for a moment. Katara was like another mother to her; she could trust her with just about anything.

"Katara, what do you mean by that?"

"By what?"

"That Mom beat the odds by having me?"

The master waterbender sighed. She had hoped Toph would have been the one to tell her…

"You aren't the only Beifong to have issues like yours before," told Katara. "Your mother and grandmother before all had it. But they perservered; Poppy had Toph and Toph had you." Katara smiled.

"Oh dear, we've been out too long-we should get some sleep," she said. "Let's go-tomorrow we fly."

It was at that moment that Lin's knees buckled.

"Lin?"

"Sorry-I just don't feel well," mumbled Lin.

"Yes, your mother feels the same way about flying. Come on-I'll take you to your tent."

* * *

When Lin awoke, she found Korra zipping around the campground pretending to be an air bison, with her airbending doll being Tenzin. Upon seeing her, she ran towards Lin and threw her arms around her legs.

"Necklace lady! I missed you!" she said, her big blue eyes staring back.

"I'm here now, water lily," she said, picking her up and "flying" her through the air before putting a giggling Korra down.

Suddenly, Lin turned very pale.

"Lin, what's wrong?" Tenzin asked, worried about her sudden palor.

"I just feel very sick to my stomach," she mumbled before proceeding to throw up in a nearby bush. "Let's just go. I want to go home."

Tenzin could only watch in shock as she dusted herself off and walked Korra and herself up to Oogi's saddle and settled themselves in.

"But shouldn't we wait at least a couple days until-" he interjected, but was quickly silenced by a steely glare from his girlfriend. "Fine, we'll go."

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully. Despite a couple more morning incidents, she was fine for the rest of the time.

It was night when the group reached Air Temple Island in Yue Bay. Lin carried a sleeping Korra off the air bison while Tenzin and an acolyte helped in getting all the bags in order. Lin was tucking the little girl in when she heard a conversation between Tenzin and his mother.

"Tenzin dear, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that she would make a good wife and mother!"

"Why would you do that! Do you not appreciate what you have now?"

"I do but-"

"If you really did then we wouldn't be having this conversation, would we? Now go. I wish not to speak anymore on this subject."

Lin could then hear Tenzin's irritated steps outside the room, which quickly faded into the hallway. She didn't know what to think-after all, her relationship was falling apart right in front of her due to her...issue. She sweetly traced Korra's face.

"You're such a sweet girl, my little water lily," she cooed. After giving her a quick kiss on the forehead, she went to join her boyfriend (should she even use that term anymore?) in their room.

* * *

Tenzin woke in the morning to see a sleeping Lin beside them. His face gave way to a small smile. She was so peaceful and beautiful when she slept. Her perfect porcelain face, with mint-green eyes closed and berry-colored lips that were just begging for a kiss made her look...innocent.

Not that he would tell anyone. Goodness knows how Lin got if anyone told her she looked too youthful to be head metalbender. She'd just about rip their heads off, Beifong style.

It was that fight, that drive that both attracted him to Lin and made him want to flee. He had known since they were five that they would be best friends, 20 that they would be together forever, and 30 that she would be the one to have their kids.

Only thing is, he wasn't sure that idea would become reality. Ever since the doctor had given them the news he didn't know what to think. Gone were the days of anticipating the arrival of children in the house. Where there was once joy and happiness, there was only pain.

It was not only her fault, though; it was his as well. He had spent too long focusing on mastering Airbending and running Republic City that he had lost sight of raising a family. By the time that he and Lin were starting to seriously consider children, it had been too late.

He was startled from his reverie by a timid knock on the door. In the doorway stood a mousy youth. She had brown hair with bangs that fell right into her chocolate eyes. She didn't speak much, but she was a hard worker. Tenzin liked that about her.

"Hello, Pema," he greeted her as he strode towards the doorway. "What brings you here today?"

"Your mother wishes to speak with you in the tea room, Master Tenzin," she whispered as she fidgeted.

Tenzin couldn't help but smile. She reminded him of a baby bird in need of a protector.

"Of course, Pema. I'll be over shortly."

She smiled and blushed at the fact that he remembered her name, then disappeared to complete her other tasks.

Tenzin was still thinking about Pema when he heard Lin turn over in her sleep. She was really coming into her role as a surrogate mother to Korra, something he hardly dreamed would occur. He continued thinking about Lin and Korra when he met his mother at the tea room. Quickly seating himself and pouring a cup of jasmine tea, he listened intently to his mother.

"I have been going through the mail you've been needing to catch up on," she said.

"Really? Thank you so much, that was very kind of you."

"Be glad I did. I just found out we're getting company today."


	8. The Gaang's Back Together

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters...except for Hakkoda, Sanakh, Bai, Bao, Joon, Huang, and Eito.

Sorry about to updating as quickly. I just came back from camp, so I didn't have much time.

Also, thank you so much for your kind reviews! They keep me motivated :) For those of you who haven't reviewed yet, please do! I do respond :)

Anyways, happy reading!

* * *

"What? But we just got back!"

"I know. The mail I checked, however, was from three weeks ago," Katara said, eyebrows arched.

"I've been-well, you see-" Tenzin stammered.

"I know, I know, Mr. Councilman," said Katara, waving him off good-naturedly. "Anyways, you and Lin need to get dressed. Do you want your aunts and uncles to see you in your bedclothes?"

Tenzin's normally taciturn face gave way to a grin as he bounced down the hall. Uncharacteristically whistling to himself, he walked into his room to the sounds of Lin retching in the bathroom next door. She soon walked in no worse for wear, already wearing her uniform and her hair loose around her slightly pale face.

"Are you sure you're okay? I would feel much better if you rested."

"Tenzin, I'm fine," she snapped. "Why aren't you at work already?"

"For one thing, it's a national holiday, which means that you can get out of your metalbending uniform. Secondly, all of the aunts and uncles, not to mention the kids and family friends, are coming over soon."

Lin's eyes widened as she quickly bolted back the the bathroom. After a worrisome half hour, she appeared to be not only fine, but perfectly made up and changed into (as she called it) civilian clothes. Her shoulder-length hair was pinned back into a simple bun, and her white top and green skirt accented her jade-colored eyes.

"My my, don't you clean up nicely," teased Tenzin.

"Says the man in his bedclothes. Anyway, let's hope Korra cleans up as well," said Lin, already striding towards the little girl's room.

Tenzin quickly dressed in his monk's robes and headed over to meet Lin, whom he found in Korra's bedroom fashioning her hair using an old Fire Nation headpiece. The little girl wore a flowery green dress with cap sleeves and was playing with her bending dolls.

"Hello Korra, Lin," he greeted, kneeling down to the little girl's level. "Do you know why we're getting dressed up today?"

She shook her head.

"We're about to meet some new friends! They're very nice and they'll love you, so try not to be shy, okay?"

Korra nodded.

"Attagirl. Now come, I hear people downstairs."

Lin, at Korra's behest, picked the little girl up and walked down the stairs. Korra laid her head on the metalbender's shoulder the entire time, face turned away from the increasing noise. Lin stroked her head and soothed her as best as she could, bringing yet another grin to Tenzin's face. By the time he stepped into the parlor, he was overwhelmed by the surprise bear hugs of his family and friends.

In the room was his Uncle Sokka and Aunt Suki, their son Hakkoda, and his eldest child Sanakh. The middle two, Bai and Bao, were practicing their firebending in the paved courtyard outside. His wife Honora was holding their youngest child, a daughter named Joon while talking to her mother, Mai. Zuko, while watching his grandchildren bend, was busy conversing with Ty Lee, who had just come back from a year-long trip with her husband Huang and their grandson Eito.

Everyone (or at least, Tenzin) had just settled down when the main doors opened to reveal two people. Judging by their tawny skin tone and warm coats they were of the Water Tribe. However, their grey-tinged eyes told of their true identity.

"Kya, Bumi!" Tenzin called out joyously, forgetting his stoic nature as he enveloped his older siblings in a group hug. "How are you?"

"I would tell you if you'd let me breathe!" sputtered Bumi.

"You know, for an airbender you would think you'd let us get some air," said Kya.

After a few more moments, Tenzin let them go, much to their relief. Looking around, he noticed a noise. Or rather, the absence of it.

"Kya, where's the boys? And Bumi, where's the rest of your family?"

"They're finishing up a waterbending test. Hopefully they'll leave tonight or tomorrow at the latest," Kya explained.

"Wife and kids are visiting the grandparents in Ba Sing Se," Bumi said. "They'll be coming in a couple more days."

"Now we should be asking you-where's Lin?"

"Right here." Everyone turned around to find Lin settling down on an empty couch, Korra still in her arms.

"I want you all to meet Korra-the new Avatar."

She placed the little girl on the ground so that everyone could see. Their eyes, especially those of the Gaang, probed the little girl's face for any reminder of their old friend.

Korra was uncharacteristically silent. She had never met these people before, but somehow she felt that she _knew _them.

"Hi…" she mumbled. What else was she supposed to do? She turned around to Lin, who gave her an encouraging smile. That was when an idea popped into her head.

"Look what I can do!" She noticed a glass of water, and using her bending, fashioned it into a stream of water shaped like a polar bear-dog. Much to her amusement, Korra made the animal run around the room and straight back into the glass.

The room became eerily silent. Korra's innocent grin quickly faded as she ran back into Lin's arms for protection.

"That was…amazing!" Sokka exclaimed. "Kid, where did you learn to bend like that?"

Korra's grin was back in a flash. Soon, Sokka took her around the room and introduced her to everyone before letting her go outside to play with the other children.

"She's so talented! " Suki said. "You must be very proud."

"Eh, don't now about you guys, but I think it needed a little more earthbending."

Lin wheeled around to find her mother in the doorway.

"Mom!"

"Hey there, kiddo," Toph laughed as she found herself in a bear hug. "I've missed you too. Just out of curiousity, how did she attach herself to you?"

Lin smiled.

"Well, it started like this…"


	9. Good Friends, Bad Relationships

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, except for Joon, Liwei, Meili, Mizuki, Eri, and (I think) Ursa. Wish I did, though.

Happy reading! And please review!

* * *

While Lin was telling her story, Korra watched the people in the courtyard with interest. There were two kids who could firebend, an older man with an awesome flame on his eye watching them along with an older couple, and some other children playing in the grass. After a bit of thinking, she walked towards the kids in the grass.

As she got closer, she noticed more about the group. Three girls were playing tag with a group of four boys while their mothers looked on. She hesitated a bit before speaking up.

"Umm, excuse me?" she asked.

The kids stopped and stared at her.

"Can I play with you guys?"

"Do you know how to play tag?" asked a girl with chestnut-colored hair, slightly tanned skin, and hazel eyes.

Korra shook her head.

"It's okay, you can learn super easily!" the girl assured her. "If you join, we'll have even teams!"

The young waterbender smiled and scampered off to join her new friends and ended up playing tag for quite some time. It was only at the women's behest that the kids sat down and ate.

"So who are you all anyways?" Korra asked while munching on crab puffs.

"I'm Joon and I'm four," said the girl who spoke earlier. "This is Asami," she said as she gestured to a girl with jet-black hair and green eyes who was wearing a grass-stained white dress. Asami waved back, as she was in the middle of eating. "She's a martial artist. She can kick everyone's butt," said Joon in a stage whisper.

"If only," Asami said after swallowing. "I just started a couple months ago. I'm not very good."

"Sure you're not," Korra said with a teasing smile, which was quickly returned.

"I'm Meili," said a girl with black hair and intense amber eyes. "I live in Shu Jing right now with my grandmother and twin brother," she said. "He's over there."

Meili pointed to a boy who was the very image of herself. "Liwei!" she called out. "Come meet our new friend!"

Liwei, along with the other boys, came over. "I'm Liwei," he said. "This is my cousin, Iroh." He gestured to a slightly taller boy, who had brown hair and shared the same amber eyes.

"I'm Mako," said another boy. He had black hair and amber eyes as well. "This is my little brother, Bolin." Korra looked at the other boy, then back at Mako. Sure, they had the same black hair, but Bolin's was curlier, and he was slightly stockier than his brother. He also possessed green eyes as opposed to amber.

"Hi," Korra said back. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Korra."

Immediately the children hushed.

"Korra? As in the new avatar Korra?" Bolin asked.

"Of course it is, Rollie-Bollie, can't you tell?" Meili said.

Soon everyone started to ask questions.

"What's it like?"

"Can you bend every element?"

"Have you met a spirit yet?"

"Guys, guys!" Mako piped up. "She'll answer in time. For now, she probably has questions of her own."

Korra gave him a smile as thanks, and he responded likewise.

"Well, what do you want to know?" Asami asked.

The waterbender thought for a moment. "Hmm...for one thing, who are the women that have been watching us?"

The group turned around to see three women. One wore a light green dress, which perfectly went with her jet black hair and green eyes; the woman next to her wore a pink dress and had brown hair and eyes; and the last woman wore red and had black hair paired with amber eyes. All of them were deep in conversation with each other.

"The first woman is Mizuki Sato," Liwei said. "Asami's mom."

The two Satos eerily resembled each other. In fact, it could be said that Asami was a younger version of her mother.

"The second woman is Eri," said Meili. "She's Bolin's and Mako's mama."

Korra nodded along. "Who's the last one?"

"That's Fire Princess Ursa," Mako said. "She's Joon's aunt and Iroh's mom."

"Oh," Korra said. "How do they all know each other?"

"Mama and the rest of 'em went to school here on the island," Iroh said. "Since they're all firebenders, they left the island half-day so Grandpa Zuko could teach them how to bend. They're really good, but they don't bend that often."

"Who's Grandpa Zuko?" Korra asked.

"He's the man watching my cousins bend over there."

She looked, then took a double take. "Wait, he's flame-face man? That's so awesome!"

Iroh cracked a smile. "Yeah, he's pretty cool. He's promised me that he'll teach me firebending one day."

"Not if Grandma Azula gets to you first!" exclaimed Liwei.

'Okay, now who's Grandma Azula?" Korra questioned.

"Grandma Azula is Zuko's brother," Meili explained. "When she was a teenager, they tried to hunt down your former self. Zuko soon saw the errors of his ways, but Grandma...not so much."

Korra gulped, her eyes getting bigger.

"No, no, don't worry, she never got you," Liwei assured her. "Instead, while the old you was fighting our great-grandfather, Grandma was fighting Grand-uncle Zuko in a humongous Agni Kai. She didn't win, though; she had a mental breakdown instead."

"From what Grandfather tells me, it was pretty bad," Iroh said. "It took her about eight years to fully recover. But during that time she saw the light."

"She knew that everything she had done was wrong, and set out to correct it," Joon continued. "She apologized to everyone, and she set out to prove that she had indeed changed by joining the then newly-formed United Forces. Worked herself up to Commander, I think."

Korra nodded, then with a devilish grin started another game of tag. The children continued to play until they tired themselves out so thoroughly that they were carried to the children's dormitories to sleep.

* * *

In the meantime, Lin had cornered Tenzin in the kitchen. Most everyone had gone upstairs to sleep, so she felt that now was the perfect time to confront her boyfriend about his earlier behavior.

"Tenzin, what is going on?"

"Nothing dear, I promise you-"

"Really? Then explain to me why you and Pen happened to bump into each other in the courtyard-"

"It's Pema, and it was an accident-"

"-with your lips?"

Tenzin sighed. This is _really_ not how he wanted this to go down…

"Tenzin," Lin sighed. "I love you, but we can't keep on acting like nothing's wrong!"

"I know," Tenzin agreed. "That's why I think we should break up."


	10. The Breakup

Disclaimer: I own none of these characters, except for Narantsetseg/Naran. If only…

Thank you so much for the reviews! Keep them coming :)

Anyways, happy reading!

* * *

Lin was taken aback. She knew that it had to happen, but she didn't think it would be so...harsh.

"What?"

Tenzin sighed. "Lin, we knew it was going to happen sometime. I'm the only airbender left, and unless Bumi's kids magically start to airbend it looks like it's staying that way."

Her eyes filled with pain as she looked away. If it weren't for her problem, everything would be better. Well, maybe not, but at least she wouldn't be in this predicament, right?

"I'll go pack my stuff," she said, her throat tightening. "Korra and I will be gone by morning."

Tenzin put his hand on her shoulder. "We had a good 25 years, Lin."

She reached for it. "I know," she said, her fingers grazing his. "But I want more." With that she dropped her hand and made her way towards her old bedroom.

Once there, she dug out her old suitcase and carelessly threw her clothes in. Since she didn't have that many outside her uniform, so they fit with room to spare. Going through her bookcase, she dug out her favorites and put them in the bag as well. After grabbing another bag, she moved on to Korra's room.

Korra was sound asleep when Lin came. The metalbender sighed.

_Such an innocent face_, she thought. _I wonder if she has any idea what she's been through-or what she's about to go through._

Lin started to pack up Korra's clothes, books, and toys. She was about to move on to pictures when her hand brushed by the little girl's forehead. The metalbender frowned.

_Hmm, that's odd. She feels too warm. Then again, she's under about five layers of blankets. I'm probably worrying about nothing._

Everything fit neatly in one bag, and she soon slung both over her shoulder. After carefully extricating the little girl from her blanket cocoon, she put a jacket and shoes over her pajamas and was soon out the door and at the dock.

Lin quickly and silently settled everything in her boat. She placed Korra on a makeshift bed, and then got down to business.

_Thank goodness I talked Tenzin into putting these metal rudders in. I knew they would come in handy._

With a bit of bending, the duo were on their way to the mainland. It took only half an hour before they reached land and were walking the streets looking for a place to stay. Lin, with everything in tow, took a couple turns here, then there, and soon ended up right where she wanted to.

Where she wanted to be was a nicely sized house one of the nicer districts of Republic City, somewhat equivalent to the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se. The stone house was well kept, as was its gardens and courtyards. Lin, transferring Korra and her bags onto the same arm, opened the gate protecting the house and walked up to the imposing mahogany door, which was carved with a flying boar insignia.

"For spirit's sake, Lady Lin, at least give us some warning before you end up on your doorstep!"

Lin wheeled around to find a woman about her age. She was of average height, with tanned skin and long brown hair that she had braided back to reveal bright green eyes. The woman was trying to be serious but couldn't repress a joyous smile.

"Naran!" Lin exclaimed before being engulfed in a hug. "I've missed you so much, how are you?"

"Doing just fine, thanks for asking. Now come inside, let's get you all settled."

The woman led her into a large foyer, where she poured them each a cup of tea.

"Now I hate to be so blunt, but why are you here? Don't you live with Airhead now?"

Lin smiled, but then became serious. Naran had been her childhood friend and surrogate sister ever since they were eight. Toph and Lin had been visiting the grandparents in Gaoling when her mother came across Naran being abused by her stepfather and took her in. At first the girl was content to work as a servant in their house. However, it soon became apparent that she possessed formidable earth- and metalbending skills. Nowadays, Naran ran one of the best earthbending academies in Republic City.

"We broke up," Lin said quietly. "I didn't-no, I couldn't be there anymore, so I came here with Korra because this was the only place I could think of."

Naran's face softened.

"Oh, Lin," she breathed. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know-"

"Narantsetseg, why didn't you tell me Lin and the others are here?"

The two women turned around to find Toph leaning in the doorway, frowning.

"Mother, what do you mean? It's just me, Naran and Korra," Lin said.

This caused the metalbender founder to knit her eyebrows. "Hmm, night always tends to throw off my sight. Anyways kiddo, I heard about the breakup. I'm so sorry."

Lin said nothing, only gathering up Korra and taking the little girl to her new bedroom. It was nicely done, with bamboo floors and plaster walls. There was a nightstand and armoire by the wooden bed, which was made up with cream sheets and pillows, a brown comforter, and green duvet. She laid the little girl down in the bed, and felt her forehead again. Her eyes widened.

"Mom, Naran!" she called out.

The women came crashing into the room a moment later.

"Lin, what's wrong?" they asked.

"Call a healer. Korra's burning up!"


	11. Sickness and Surprises

I own none of these characters. Well, I own Naran. At least that's something.

Thank you all for the reviews. By all means, keep them coming :)

Anyways, happy readings!

* * *

"What do you mean?" Naran said. "She was fine an hour ago!"

"But she's not now!" Lin snapped.

"You're right," Toph said.

"Who's right?" Naran asked.

"Both of you are. She was fine, but I'm halfway across the room and I can feel the heat radiating off her. Naran, do me a favor. Get Katara from her room. She needs to see Korra, stat."

Lin stiffened upon hearing the waterbender's name and chose to focus on the little girl instead. She soon noticed that her lips were moving.

"Guys, hush!" she called out. "I think she's saying something!"

Everyone soon converged upon the little one's bedside, listening in to what she was saying.

"Mommy?" she said weakly, opening her eyes, turned glassy by the fever.

The women froze.

"Mama," she said once more before turning over to sleep.

Toph immediately took charge.

"Naran, go down the hall and wake Katara. Then, boil some water for tea and put on a pot of jook. Lin, I want you to leave."

Her daughter shot up instantly.

"What? No! I'm not going to leave her!"

The master metalbender was slightly taken aback, though she didn't show it. She hadn't really expected this response from her Lin, of all people. Naran was typically the more motherly of the two, and she practically ran out of the room to fetch Katara.

"Lin, listen to me. You have been through a lot between taking care of the Avatar-"

"Korra-"

"-Korra and your promotion to chief. Not to mention the fact that you broke up with your boyfriend of 25 years a few hours ago! Kiddo, you need to go and rest or else you're going to run yourself ragged! I already brought your stuff up there; all you'll need to do is unpack."

Lin stalked off towards her bedroom in a huff. Toph shook her head.

_Some things never change,_ she thought. Then she went inside to help Katara with her charge.

* * *

Lin plopped on the bed and angrily unpacked. She threw her clothes in her dresser and slammed the drawer shut. She dumped all her books on the floor and was about to shove them in her bookshelf when she noticed some pictures had fallen out.

She felt all her anger dissipate as she looked at the old pictures. They were slightly yellowed with age, which was not surprising considering they were about 20 years old. The first one depicted a teenaged Tenzin laughing as Lin experienced her first glider ride.

_I remember this. It was my thirteenth birthday, and he wanted to ask me out. At first I said no, but he took his glider out and flew me on it until I said yes. _

Lin chuckled.

_My, how far away that seems._

She looked at the next picture. They were older-about 20 when the photo was taken. Lin had on a stylish dress. Her hair was done up in a bun and accented with flowers. Tenzin wore his dress robes and was putting on a beautiful stone bracelet on her arm.

_This was the Policeman's ball. He took me because it was my first time going as an actual policewoman. Bought me an emerald bracelet and everything-said he chose it because we are both strong, like the earth. Know that I think of it, I probably have it somewhere around here…_

Lin rooted around until she found the bracelet. She looked at it, sighed, and put it on her nightstand.

Tears stung her eyes as she looked at the last photo.

It was taken about five years after the last one, putting their age at about 25. Tenzin was embracing a blushing and smiling Lin as he kissed her on the cheek.

Soon, she could stand it no longer.

Lin burst into gut-wrenching sobs as she threw down the photo. Toph found her curled up into a small ball as she muffled her cries in a pillow.

"Oh, Lin," Toph said soothingly as she rubbed her daughter's back. "I'm so sorry."

This only seemed to make her daughter cry harder. Toph stroked her daughter's face until her weeping turned into small sniffles. The master metalbender put her hand on the ground to steady herself when something made her pause.

"Lin," she said softly. "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant?"


	12. Katara Helps Out

I own no one but Naran and the new additions to the family.

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Enjoy!

* * *

"What? That can't be possible!"

"Oh yes it is," Toph replied. "Earlier, I thought there were other people with you and Naran. Now I know why-I can feel their heartbeats."

Her daughter's eyes widened.

"Their?" she squeaked, her voice octaves higher than it normally was.

Toph grinned. "Yep. It looks I'm getting multiple grandchildren next spring."

At that point Lin sunk into her bed, trying to come to terms with this new development. Her mother busied herself tucking her daughter in, giving her a kiss when she was done.

"Goodnight my love," she whispered. "Congratulations."

With that Toph left her daughter and ventured to Korra's room for an update on her condition.

Katara was busy bending water over the little girl's forehead when she heard her friend come in.

"Good, you're here!" the master waterbender exclaimed. "I was beginning to wonder what was going on."

"Oh nothing much," Toph said, evading the indirect question. "So why is Twinkletoes the Second sick?"

"A multitude of things. For example, the move to a different climate is known to cause illnesses."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Katara turned to her patient. "Yes," she said quietly. "Korra witnessed the electrocution of her parents and godfather. If anything, her grief is finally manifesting in the form of this rather nasty fever."

"Is she contagious?" Naran asked.

"No, she's not," answered Katara. "But I would still take the same precautions you would with a normal fever."

Toph and Naran nodded. Katara noticed that there was something off about Toph.

"Naran could you watch Korra for me?" Katara asked. "Toph and I are going to the kitchen to catch up on business."

"We are?"

"Yes, now come on-I'm brewing some tea as we speak!"

Toph soon settled herself at her kitchen table as her friend poured them each cups of tea. For a few minutes, they drank in silence. Then the waterbender cleared her throat to speak.

"Okay Toph, spill. What is going on? You seem a little...different."

The master metalbender sighed and put her cup down. Toph, despite being at least half a head taller than her waterbending friend, was still seen by Katara as the small 12 year old who competed in underground earthbending tournaments. Toph ran a hand through her grey hair.

"Lin's pregnant," she spoke after a lengthy silence.

"What?"

"I found out tonight actually. The extra heartbeats I was registering earlier are those of my future grandchildren."

Katara soaked up the news in silence. "Tenzin doesn't know, does he?"

"I doubt it-they broke up last night."

His mother's eyes widened in shock. "Did he find someone else?"

"For now I'm going to assume yes. I didn't pry for details, and Lin didn't give me any."

Katara looked away in disgust and disappointment. "How could he? They were so perfect together."

"Oh they will get back together, Katara. Believe me, if I have anything to say about it…"

They shared a laugh. "C'mon Katara," Toph said. "It's pretty late-we should get some sleep."

The two women soon drifted off to their respective rooms. No one stirred in the household, save for a delirious Korra calling out for her parents.

* * *

_She was back at the compound in the South Pole._

_Mommy, Daddy, and Nakoda were showing her how to do some new forms. Once she had gotten the hang of it, Daddy said that they were going to take a break. They were going to bend the snow into different forms._

_Korra squealed for joy. She bent all the snow that she could and managed to fashion it into the form of an air-bison. Satisfied with her work, she turned around to show everyone only to realize that there was something dreadfully wrong._

_The sky was an ominous crimson. The walls had been blown up and things were crawling into the compound. Black things with green bug-eyes and no faces._

_One came up right behind her parents. It whipped out a thing that crackled with lightning. She tried to warn them-but it was as if she were anchored there, unable to move or even speak._

_Within a second her parents were writhing on the snow, the lightning coursing through their bodies like an electrical river. She felt herself being taken into her house. Korra kicked and screamed the entire way, but her unknown kidnapper wouldn't let her go until she placed her on her bed._

"_Turn around, you coward!" the little girl shrieked._

_The person turned out to be...Avatar Kuruk? What was he doing here?_

"_Korra," he said, his voice full of sadness. "You do realize what you just saw, yes?"_

_She paused for a moment and shook her head._

_Kuruk sighed and turned his head, perhaps to hide the tears threatening to spill out of his eyes._

"_Your parents-they were taken down by that thing. Dragged them all away. The other Avatars have been searching for them, but it has been in vain. We can't find them anywhere."_

"_So they're not coming back?"_

_When Kuruk didn't respond, Korra hung her head and began to weep, wiping her tears away as she said, "Who's going to take care of me then?"_

_The elder Avatar smiled. "Why don't you take a look?"_

_Korra cautiously approached the window._

_She was in a field of yellow flowers. Tenzin had her on his shoulders and was turning tons and tons of circles. Before long, they collapsed from dizziness, giggling all the while._

_Lin watched from a short distance away. She was serving food from a basket with one arm and keeping the other over her large belly. Korra ran over and gave her a hug, with Tenzin following and giving her a kiss._

"_See? Not so bad, now is it? Now I've spent too long with you kiddo, go to sleep!"_

Korra slept peacefully the rest of the night, happily awaiting the good days to come.


	13. Tenzin's Meditations

Hopefully you all know the drill: I don't own these characters. Nickelodeon, on the other hand, does.

I always appreciate reviews, so by all means write them!

Oh, and enjoy :)

* * *

It had been ten days since the breakup, and Tenzin had not seen Lin once.

He didn't know why he minded so much-after all, they were both very busy with their respective careers-but he found it so _unsettling._

Then again, how could he not? He had dated Lin since they were 13, had gotten used to her being the first thing he sees in the morning and the last thing he sees at night. He found himself expecting her to break out a snarky quip every time he talked about that insufferable Tarrlok, but there was only silence.

Not that he minded. No, of course not! It was actually kind of nice that Pema was new to this. She observed everything through an unbiased lens.

"Tenzin," she said softly, shaking him out of his reverie. "Why don't you come down to the dining hall? I made breakfast."

"Yes, of course dear. I'll be down soon."

Tenzin smiled as he heard his girlfriend's steps fade down the hallway. He soon changed into his airbending robes and met her at their table by the window.

"My, my, doesn't this look delicious," he said, looking at all the different kind of pastries before him.

"Thank you," she said, slightly blushing. "Here, try the plum-apple tart. It's pretty good, if I do say so myself."

He did so, and complimented her on her stellar baking. She in turn blushed, continued to eat, and then left him to attend to some unfinished jobs. Tenzin in turn left to his meditation pavilion.

Ever since he was a boy, the pavilion had been a place of peace and serenity. It was now the perfect place to clear his mind.

Assuming his meditation position, Tenzin closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

_Let your thoughts fly away, Tenzin. Focus on the important things._

In his mind's eye the image of a young woman popped up. Her long black hair was splayed across her pale skin, her green eyes boring into his grey ones. She laughed, kissed him on the cheek, and then fled, all the while beckoning for him to chase her.

_Lin._

Quickly he shook the thought from his mind and continued to meditate when another image came into view.

A beautiful young girl was picking flowers for a bouquet. She braided back the ones she liked into her brown hair, which managed to showcase her chocolate eyes. When she saw someone approaching, she reddened and continued on with her task.

_Oh, Pema. You are ever the shy one aren't you?_

Tenzin continued to dwell on the attributes of his new girlfriend. She was so sweet, so innocent. Didn't really speak unless spoken to, hard worker, well mannered, good with children, gracious, kind.

She would make an excellent wife.

He did not pause to fully let the idea sink in, instead choosing to fully clear his mind in order to continue his meditation session. Tenzin remained there until late at night, when Pema called him in to rest.

When he laid his head on the pillow, he closed his eyes and mulled over his life.

_A picnic has been laid out on the grassy knoll overlooking Yue Bay. He waits nervously, not noticing the cherry blossoms that float by his head._

"_Hey Tenz-what's this?"_

_The girl looks at him with wide jade-colored eyes. Her beautiful black hair cascades down her back in waves, only held back by a simple headband._

_He walks over to the girl and kisses her._

"_Happy birthday," he breathes._

Tenzin awoke with a jolt.

_Oh Lin. You are never far from my mind, are you?_

Sighing, he turned over and slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.


	14. Word Starts To Spread

I own no one but Naran. *sigh.*

Thank you all for the reviews. By all means keep on writing them!

Enjoy!

* * *

Life had become quite hectic in the Beifong household.

Lin, at Naran's request, started to hold daily playdates for Korra at the household. At any given time there were about eight kindergardeners underfoot. Though she would never admit it, she actually liked holding the playdates. Not only did she get to spend time with her childhood friends, she also gained a first hand account of what it was like to raise children.

It was during one of these playdates that she inadvertently revealed her pregnancy.

The women were watching the children play on the newly installed playground in the back when the conversation turned to school.

"I have no idea where I'm going to put Iroh in school next year," said his mother, Fire Princess Ursa. "I'm considering putting him in Huo Academy, but I don't know."

"It is an excellent firebending academy, sister," Fire Princess Honora said. "Bai and Bao attend there for classes and they have improved dramatically."

"Wait, you don't teach them yourself?" Naran asked.

"Dear Naran, you flatter us so," Honora said. "While we can help with forms and such, it's probably not a good idea for us to teach them."

Mizuki Sato slightly nudged Lin. "At least we don't have to worry about that, eh?"

"I don't know," Lin said, protectively draping a hand over her stomach. "Korra could benefit from the social aspect of a school."

The slight gesture was not lost upon Mizuki nor Eri.

"Lin, what are you hiding?" Eri said teasingly, eyebrow raised.

The women by this time had stopped their conversation and looked over. Naran widened her eyes after realizing what was going on.

"Stand up," said Ursa, pulling her friend to her feet. "Now turn around."

"Guys, what are you looking at? You've seen my metalbending uniform hundreds of times."

A sly smile was exchanged throughout the group.

"I have got to hand it to you," said Mizuki. "Your uniform does a pretty good job of hiding your bump."

"Now where did you hear that?"

The women squealed.

"So you are pregnant? Oh congratulations! You must be so excited right now!"

Lin only blushed. "Thanks guys. I am, but I'm also a bit...scared."

Naran gave her a disbelieving look. "My sister, the chief of police, is scared of raising a child? Not that I don't blame you, but you've taken down people twice your size without batting an eye!"

"I know, but I think it would be slightly easier with Tenzin around."

An uncomfortable silence settled over the group, only broken by the happy shrieks of playing children. They had all heard of the breakup, and weren't exactly happy about it.

"Does he know?" Eri asked.

"No. As far as I know he's a bit concerned with his new girlfriend Peanut or Pineapple or something like that."

Silence reigned once more.

"Korra must be excited, right? She is after all going to become an older sister," offered Honora.

"Actually, Korra doesn't know yet. I'm going to tell her, I promise, I just don't know when."

"As long as you promise," said Naran. "Now I don't know about you guys, but I'm pretty hungry. Let's all go inside and eat some roast duck."

After rounding up all the children, everyone went inside and enjoyed a family dinner. The children continued to play until night fell and they were coaxed home by their parents.

Finally alone, Lin bent off her metal and changed into some simple brown pants and a cream-colored shirt. Already a small bump was becoming noticeable, but it was nothing her uniform couldn't camouflage.

_Now would be as good a time to tell her, I guess._

"Korra," she called out. "Where are you?"

"Right here, right here!" The little girl soon crashed into the room, carrying an airbender doll in one arm and a blanket in the other. Her hair was adorably done into a messy topknot with a Fire Nation piece, and she wore a warm blue nightgown.

Lin picked the little girl up and set her on her lap. Korra snuggled up against her stomach, then suddenly jumped back in surprise.

"What is it, my water lily?" Lin asked sweetly.

"Mama, your stomach kicked me! Stomachs don't kick!...Right?"

The metalbender smiled.

"Normally they don't. However, they do when women have babies inside them."

Korra was quizzical for a moment, but her face soon broke out into a smile when it dawned upon her what Lin was getting at.

"Yay! Mommy's having a baby!" Korra laughed and essentially tackled Lin until they fell on the bed giggling.

Lin proceeded to tickle Korra until she shrieked from laughter. The whole time there was only one thing on her mind.

_She called me Mommy._


	15. Lin Interrogates Pema

I don't own any of these characters at all. If only I did...

Thank you all for the reviews! Please keep them coming!

Enjoy the chapter :3

* * *

The telephone rang at 3 in the morning.

"Hello?" Lin mumbled, half asleep.

"Chief Beifong? It's Lieutenant Saikhan. We need you for an interrogation."

Lin groaned. "Can't you guys do that yourselves?"

"No boss, you're going to want to do this one. It involves the Agni Kai Triad."

She immediately sat up in bed. "I'll be there in ten."

Rolling out of bed, she bent the armor over her pajamas. She about to leave the bedroom when she heard a small noise.

"Mama?" Korra said.

Her heart melted a little. "I'm just going to work a little early, Water Lily," she said, kissing her on the forehead. "Now go back to sleep."

Ten minutes later, Chief Beifong strode into the viewing area of Interrogation Room 1.

"Right on time Chief, as always," commented Lieutenant Saikhan.

"What's the situation?"

"Break-in at the Sato mansion. The daughter is currently in our care, since her mother is in the hospital due to minor injuries."

Her breath caught slightly in her throat. "And the husband?"

"Nowhere to be found. However, due to the amount of blood we found we believe he is dead."

Lin felt as if she had been punched in the chest, but kept a straight face.

"So who are we bringing in?"

"I think you are particularly going to enjoy this one."

"What makes you say that?" Lin said, bemused.

Saikhan gestured to the window. A guard brought in a young woman. She looked slightly disheveled, with brown bangs falling into exhausted brown eyes. Her robes were singed and muddy. Lin's eyes narrowed.

_Pema._

"She was found trying to escape from the mansion. We don't know if she's part of the Triad, though, because she can't bend at all…"

Saikhan continued to give more details about the break-in, how it only targeted the master's bedroom, how Hiroshi's workshop was left untouched. Lin pretended to listen, but on the inside she was seething with rage.

Rage, and pleasure.

She had never particularly liked Hiroshi-a little too smarmy if you asked her-but Mizuki and Asami absolutely adored him. The fact that the triad she had been hunting down for ages managed to mess up on her watch and deliver a personal enemy to her doorstep?

Things couldn't get any better!

Focusing once again, she watched the young woman fidget nervously in her seat.

"Lieutenant, who's set up for interrogation?"

"Why you are, Chief."

Lin cast a sideways glance at her right hand man before chuckling.

"You are one sick man, Lieutenant."

Everyone had heard of the break-up at this point. They all wanted to console her, but they didn't for fear of a scorned Beifong's retribution. So they did so in their own ways.

This was definitely Saikhan's way.

"Very funny, Chief. Now go get your man-I mean, woman!"

She didn't hear him, for she was already seated at the opposite end of the interrogation table.

"So, Acolyte Pema, care to explain to me why you were found escaping from the Sato mansion late last night?"

Pema wrung her hands as she spoke.

"I was asked by Mr. Sato to teach his daughter meditation techniques. He felt that the techniques, in conjunction with her self-defense training, could help her become a better fighter."

"While I'm sure you are adept at meditation, why would Hiroshi Sato choose you and not, say, Master Tenzin?"

"Master Tenzin would be the logical choice; however, Mr. Sato felt that I would be a better fit with his daughter."

Lin frowned. This was logical, of course. Pema was generally adored by children. Nothing smelled fishy, or at least not fishy enough to land her a jail stay.

"So when did you arrive at the mansion?"

"I arrived at 3:30 last afternoon for Asami's first meditation class."

"How long was the meditation class?"

"It lasted from four to seven."

The chief raised an eyebrow. "A five year old managed to meditate for three hours?"

Pema laughed. "No, not exactly. With children we start off at five minutes, then a two minute break. We gradually increase the time until they can go for hours without a break. Asami is a beginner, so the longest she went was about 15, 20 minutes. Very, very good for any starter, much less a child."

"What did you do afterwards?"

"I ate dinner at the mansion. Normally I wouldn't due to my vegetarianism, but the chef had decided to try out some traditional Air Nomad recipes. After that I was going to go home when I heard that the ferries were down. Mrs. Sato was kind enough to let me stay in a spare bedroom for the night."

"Were you awake when the triad broke into the mansion?"

"No, not fully at least. I had just drifted off to sleep when I heard the sound of glass breaking. Confused, I walked out into the hall only to feel the heat of a fire right over my back! I ran towards Asami's room, took her from her bed, and climbed down the trellis outside her window."

_Bingo._

Lin's eyes narrowed. "You what?"

"I had assumed that they were searching for her, so I took her before anyone else could. After I climbed down the trellis she came to, so I told her to run off towards her playhouse. When she made it, I ran off to find help. Ended up tripping in the mud and being found by one of your officers."

"You do realize that for those few minutes you were kidnapping Asami Sato?"

The young girl seemed taken aback. "What? I was only trying to help-"

"Regardless, you still took the little girl from her house."

"Yes, but-"

"Lin Beifong, what on earth are you doing?"

Both women turned around to see a rather irate Tenzin in the doorway.

"I was just about to arrest her for kidnapping Asami Sato, something that she did confess to."

"She was only trying to help!"

Lin glared. He had a point, but she wasn't going to give in to it.

"How about this Lin: we drop all charges against Pema. You get to go home and sleep, and so do we."

_We?_

She scowled. "Fine. Acolyte Pema, you are free to go. So both of you, go!"

The couple soon left the interrogation room. Though Pema didn't notice, Tenzin gazed back at an unknowing Lin.

Never had she seemed more beautiful.


	16. Azula's Back!

I own none of these characters-well, except for Naran, Takara, and Zahira.

Thanks so much for the reviews. Keep on writing them!

Enjoy! :)

* * *

Lin walked out of the interrogation room in a huff.

"Better luck next time, eh Chief?"

"Guess so, Lieutenant Saikhan," she said while they headed over to her office.

"Out of curiosity, who is taking over the Sato case?"

"I will preside over it myself," Lin crisply stated.

"Not to be offensive Chief, but are you sure that's a good idea? You are slightly biased, after all."

She turned to yell at him, but realized he was right. If she almost arrested Pema for helping out, who knows what else could happen?

"Fine," she sighed. "You may take the case. Just so we're clear though, I will not stand by idly."

Saikhan blinked, clearly surprised by the lack of fighting from his chief. "Wow I mean-thank you Chief. Of course, your help would be greatly appreciated. Who knew hormones could be so calming?"

Lin stopped dead in her tracks. "Who told you?" she asked brusquely.

"What do you mean I-" he stuttered. "Alright, fine. When Naran came in to drop off the new talent yesterday she let it slip. Everyone else knows, but we kept our lips sealed out of respect for you."

She sighed at her office door. Naran probably thought everyone knew already.

"Well, Lieutenant, you've done well so far. Even though it's 7 in the morning, go home and get some sleep. Also, while on the way down can you tell everyone it's okay to talk about my pregnancy?"

He smiled. "Yes chief. I'll see you later. And again, congratulations."

She went into her office. Usually it was very clean and filled with light from its floor-to-ceiling windows that shone on her mahogany furniture. Right now, however, it was filled with flowers, congratulation cards, toys, clothes-and a person sitting in her office chair.

Lin looked around in wonder, her eyes eventually focusing on the other person in the room.

"Aunt Azula?" she said incredulously. "What are you doing here?"

The former Commander of the United Republic Forces walked towards her niece and embraced her. The years had been good to her; she hardly had wrinkles, and save for her grey hair she could be mistaken for a fifty year old.

"It's good to see you too, Lin," she said, laughing. "I heard about the pregnancy. Congrats!"

Lin smiled uneasily. "Thanks. Where's Zahira?"

"As far as I know my daughter's trying to follow up on the attacks at the compound. That was before a similar attack took her to a former Fire Nation colony. Out of curiosity how far along are you?"

"I'm about three months along," Lin said with a smile.

"Really? With your armor on you can hardly tell a thing!"

"Thank goodness for that!" the metalbender laughed.

"I'm sure you must be hungry. Why don't we head back to your home and have breakfast there? I'm sure Naran's whipped something up by now."

* * *

Half an hour later, the duo was sitting at the dining table with the rest of the adults happily munching away on eggs and Komodo sausage.

"Have you been craving spicy food?" asked Azula after noticing the gusto with which Lin was eating her food.

"Actually, no. I've been craving egg custard tarts and deep-fried pickled radishes."

"Like mother, like daughter," Toph mused.

"I remember when I was pregnant with my kids all I wanted to eat was sea prune stew. Aang couldn't stand it!" Katara laughed.

"What about you Naran? What did you crave when you were pregnant with Takara?" Lin asked, referring to her sister's four year old daughter.

"I craved tea. Then again I always crave tea, so I don't know if that counts."

"Mommy! Auntie!"

Korra and Takara ran into the room and straight into Lin's arms.

"Hi my little blossoms! Do you want food?"

"Yes, please!"

A small plate of eggs and a glass of juice appeared in front of them thanks to Naran. The two girls happily ate and then proceeded to run off to play.

"Wow, you've taken to motherhood quite well," Katara remarked.

"Have you considered adopting Korra?" Toph asked.

"What?"

"It's not such an unreasonable question," Azula said. "You do seem especially close with her."

"I have considered it," Lin admitted. "But I don't know. Do you think she'll be comfortable with it?"

"Sweetheart, she already calls you Mama! I say go for it," Toph said.

Lin smiled. "Thanks mom. Now I'm going to go pick up Asami and visit Mizuki."

A somber silence filled the room. By now everyone had heard about the break-in.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Naran said.

"Mizuki is one of my best friends. I have to go. I'll drop off Asami here so she doesn't have to see the hospital."

Katara sighed. "If you insist, Lin. But at least try to take a nap first-you've only had five hours of sleep."

"As you wish." With that Lin left for her bedroom, preparing herself for what was to come.


	17. Hiroshi's Gone

I own no one but Mizuki. If only…

So how about Comic-Con? Next season is going to rock!

I always appreciate your reviews, so please keep writing them!

Enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

The clock had just struck noon when Lin woke up.

Stretching, she walked over to the closet and threw on a dress with a green top and a loose white skirt. She let her hair down, taming her waves with a simple headband. After slipping on some comfortable dark green flats, she headed over to the market and bought some jennamite candy, vegetable dumplings, bean curd puffs, and a doll. With that she was ready to pick up Asami.

She found the little girl playing in the headquarter's nursery. Lin had trouble finding it; she had never had a reason to go there before. Asami put down the book she was reading and ran towards her, burying her face in Lin's neck.

"Auntie," she wept, wrapping her arms even tighter around the metalbender's neck.

"Shh, shh, shh, I'm here Asami," she comforted, her heart breaking for her surrogate niece. "I'm right here."

Asami's body heaved with her sobs.

"Sweetheart," she said. "I know you're scared. I am too. But we have to be strong for your mama's sake, okay?"

Lin rocked her and rubbed her back until her crying became nothing more than spastic sputters.

"I bet you're hungry, aren't you?"

The little girl nodded.

"Well, we're going to go back to my home, okay? Since it's 1, they'll be making lunch there."

Asami simply nestled deeper into her aunt's grasp, her eyes drooping.

"That's what I thought, kiddo. Come on, let's go."

* * *

_Saikhan's version of minor injuries is obviously different from mine,_ Lin thought. She had expected bumps, bruises, maybe even a broken bone. She didn't expect the gashes, the broken ribs, or the internal bleeding.

She definitely didn't expect to hear that Mizuki had been unconscious most of the day.

"Katara, what's going on?" she asked the master waterbender.

"She was in critical condition when she came. Apparently she was so bad off most didn't think she would make it. Thankfully she's expected to make a full recovery, but it's going to take a while."

"How long?"

"Her ribs will take about six months to fully heal. At least two of those months will be spent in agonizing pain. We have the internal bleeding under control, so that's good. The gashes will take a couple months to heal, maybe a bit faster with the amount of attention we've been paying attention to them. She'll be reeling from the aftermath of the burns as well."

"She was burned?"

"They weren't very deep, but they were extensive. Burned through her clothes and everything. We were able to completely heal them, though."

"Wow," Lin said, sitting down and dropping her head in her hands. "Is she in pain?"

"We kept her sedated for most of the day. She should be coming to right about-"

"Lin? Lin?" a small voice said.

"You should go in," Katara said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm right here," Lin said approaching her bedside. "How are you doing? Wait, no-forget I said that."

Mizuki painfully smiled. "Only you would ask that."

The duo fell into a comfortable silence.

"I brought food. Your favorite-vegetable and Komodo chicken dumplings with bean curd puffs and maybe a bit of jennamite for dessert."

"Really? I've been starving!"

They happily munched on their goodies. When they were done, Mizuki laid back as comfortably as she could.

"How is Asami?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"Fine. Scared for you, but she was fine after a small bag of jennamite, a backrub, and a doll."

She laid back, her worries eased. Then another idea popped in her head.

"And Hiroshi?"

Lin looked away for a moment in order to compose herself. "I'm so sorry, Mizuki," she said, her eyes filling with tears.

Tears managed to find their way down Mizuki's face. A few soon turned into a river.

"No," she whispered. "No, no, no! Please don't let it be true!"

The metalbender gingerly held her friend as she wept.

"Can you promise me something? Can you look after my Asami while I'm here?"

Lin held her friend's hand and smiled. "She's already at my house."

Mizuki fell back, exhausted and wincing from the pain.

"Thank you."


	18. Why Didn't You Tell Me?

I own Kanna and no one else. Sigh...

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Happy reading :D

* * *

Pema had been acting very strange lately.

Ever since Lin tried to arrest her two weeks ago, she had been trying to avoid him. She would get up earlier, do more chores, or bow out of social engagements she normally loved to attend. Not to mention the fact that she would disappear off the island for hours on end.

So he decided that he was going to confront her.

His robes swept across the bamboo floors as he approached her. She visibly jumped as he put his hand on her shoulder.

"Pema dear, what's wrong? You've been especially jumpy after the incident."

She nervously put a lock of her behind her ear. "Oh, it's nothing, Tenzin. You don't need to worry."

"Is it about the incident? Because I already told you that I completely believe you. I know Lin can be abrasive, and that's enough to put anybody on edge. So don't stress out. Everything's okay."

Tenzin sweetly kissed Pema on the cheek. "I've got to get going-councilman duties wait for no one!"

* * *

He arrived right as the other council members were taking their seats. "So what do we have on the agenda today?" he asked.

"The first topic we have is whether or not there should be a set age to begin training if one is a bender and if so, should they be taught by their parents," Councilman Zuko said.

Councilman Tarrlok, the youngest member, groaned. "Ugh, not this one again!"

"It's a valid question, Councilman Tarrlok," Councilwoman Suki said. "Besides, there isn't anything else that's particularly pressing. Unless, of course, you want to debate about how far apart radio towers should be placed?"

Tarrlok crossed his arms and pouted. "Fine."

Zuko cleared his throat. "I'll begin. I don't like the idea of setting an age to begin training. I started to bend when I was seven, but Azula was only three when she started! Right off the bat there's already inconsistency. That being said, parents should not teach their children. Imagine how you would feel if you were a nonbender and your parents spent paid special attention to your bending sibling. Doesn't exactly foster close ties."

The others nodded along.

"I personally wouldn't mind a set age for training," Tarrlok said. "You are able to be in classes with others, and your learning would be more standardized. I don't like the idea of parents teaching children; the line starts to blur between parent and teacher."

"I would like a set age to begin training," Tenzin said. "You appreciate it more and are more mature when you start learning. Also, I actually am for parents teaching their children. That's how I learned airbending. As far as I know, my father made it a point that despite him teaching me he loved us all equally."

"I don't have much to say on this," admitted Suki. "But I do believe that children should learn bending at their own pace, be it facilitated by their parents or not. For one thing, it would be immensely dangerous to have bending children who are unable to control their element running around."

"As Chairman of the Council, I do believe I have the last say," Sokka said. "I believe that children should learn their bending when they first show it, be it three or thirteen. Also, while parents can be excellent teachers I believe it best that they not teach their child unless they are a master. All in favor?"

Everyone raised their hand.

"Good. Let it be that children may learn when they first show it, and let them be taught not by their parents unless they are masters. Meeting adjourned."

Tenzin took back his airglider and flew back to the island. _Finally we get out before dinner, _he thought. _I'll surprise Pema and we can go on that picnic we've been planning for ages!_

He burst into the dining hall, looking for her.

"Looking for Pema, I see?" Tenzin whirled around to see his brother Bumi.

"Yes I was. I wanted to take her out for lunch."

"Really? I wouldn't think you'd be hungry the way I saw you two making out in the orchard."

Tenzin stopped dead in his tracks. "Bumi, I was at City Hall all morning."

"Then who was.." Bumi never got to finish his sentence. By that time Tenzin had already found his way to the orchard.

Sure enough, Pema was having a makeout session in the orchard. And it wasn't with him.

"Pema?" he said softly. She whirled around to see her boyfriend both saddened and infuriated.

"Tenzin? This is not what it looks like-"

"How could you? I trusted you! You know what, just go. Go and pack your bags because you are being transferred to the Northern Air Temple."

After they left, Tenzin sat down and put his head in his hands. He remained there until he heard footsteps approaching.

"Uncle Tenzin?" His head snapped up to see 12 year old Melati, her eyes filled with worry.

"What is it, my dear niece? What has you so worried?" he asked.

"It's Auntie Lin-she's in the hospital! She got hurt really bad and-" her words came out in a jumble and would have continued to had Tenzin not taken out his airglider and flown away.

"I'm coming for you Lin!" he yelled hoarsely. "I'm coming!"

* * *

Tenzin had never liked the hospital; they were always filled with such suffering and pain. He nervously paced outside the room number he was given until his sister and her daughter came out.

"Kya! Kanna!" he said, engulfing them in a hug. "What's going on? Why is she here?"

"Uncle, perhaps you should sit down," Kanta said, leading him to a chair.

"Brother, Lin was working on an undercover assignment with the Triple Threat Triad when she had her cover blown. She is one of the worst bloodbending cases I've ever seen-veins and vessels were burst. With time I do believe she'll recover, but there will be lasting damage. Are you ready to go in?"

Tenzin nodded, and got up to see Lin. He gasped upon reaching her door.

Her chest was hardly moving as she lay in bed. Bandages covered her body. On her face were two large gashes, from jawline to cheekbone, that were certainly going to scar. The healers, upon noticing him, got up and left.

Tenderly he stroked her face, resting his hand on her slightly rounded abdomen. It took him a couple minutes to fully register what it truly was.

"Oh Lin," he breathed, tears filling his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me?"


	19. Family Time

I own no one but the unborn children. Nickelodeon owns everyone else.

I love reviews! By all means, write me one!

Oh, and happy reading :)

* * *

Tenzin wiped the tears from his eyes and kept his hand on the small bump. He stared at Lin, taking in her wild beauty. Despite her hair being spread out in a tangled mess on the pillow and the gashes on her face, she was still entrancingly beautiful. Most women would be ashamed of scars on their face, but not Lin. No, she would wear them like badges of pride and bravery.

Lin started to stir.

"Tenzin?" she asked weakly.

"Thank the spirits you're alive! When Kanna and Kya told me what happened I was terrified! I thought I had lost you forever."

"I'm too stubborn to die, Tenzin." She smiled hesitantly. "Why are you here? I mean, I'm glad you're here, but shouldn't you be with Pencil or something?"

His face darkened. "I broke up with Pema. She wasn't as committed as I was."

Lin nodded, understanding what he was really saying.

"You know, the entire flight over I was berating myself. What on earth did I see in Pema? Sure, she's nice, she's a hard worker, but she's not you, Lin."

Her eyes met his, their gaze burning with a fiery intensity.

"No one will ever be you. It took that moment for me to realize that it's always been you Lin. You've always been the only one for me, and you will always be the only one for me. Now I understand if you don't want to get back together. I know I've hurt you, and you probably aren't very fond of me, but please, please consider it."

Her gaze softened.

"I could never not be fond of you," she whispered. "I love you Tenzin, and I will never stop. I was so hurt, and scared when we broke up. I know, Lin Beifong being scared sounds impossible, but I was. I was so used to life with you that the idea of a life alone was terrifying. And when I found out I was pregnant…"

She took a sharp breath as her eyes misted up. Tenzin, worried, held her close in his embrace.

"...I didn't know what I was going to do. I guess this is my way of telling you that you're going to be a father, Tenzin. I'm due in the spring."

Tenzin remained still.

"Say something!" she implored, her eyes wide with anxiety.

A grin slowly took up residence on Tenzin's face as he carefully engulfed his love in his arms.

"I thought I was feeling things when I set my hand on your stomach. But a child-Lin, words cannot describe how ecstatic I am to become a father!"

Lin slightly smiled, then became serious.

"What if I told you I was expecting children instead?"

Tenzin paused, letting the news sink in. His grin became even wider.

"Wait, are you saying-"

The chief nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Lin, I-I love you so much!" he exclaimed, tears choking his words as he kissed her.

She was slightly shocked at first, but kissed back, happy tears coursing down her cheeks.

"Does this mean you're going to stay?" she asked.

"Stay? Of course I'm going to stay! You won't ever be able to get rid of me!"

The metalbender grinned.

Katara, who had just come to the doorway, cleared her throat.

"There's someone who wants to see you."

Korra, dressed in a simple blue dress, tentatively walked into the room.

"Daddy, why is Mommy here?"

Tenzin, whose heart warmed upon hearing himself being called a father, gave Korra a reassuring grin.

"Mommy got hurt during work, sweetie. She's in a lot of pain, but she's okay, and so are the babies."

The little girl nodded and climbed into her mother's waiting arms.

"I missed you," Lin said, ruffling her daughter's hair.

"I missed you too, Mama. Daddy, come closer, you're too far away!"

Tenzin, beaming, sat on Lin's bed. Korra wriggled onto his lap, and Lin painfully cuddled her way into a side hug.

Katara watched silently from the doorframe, smiling as she saw the beautiful family before her.


	20. I'm Not an Invalid, I'm Just Pregnant!

I own Naran, Eri, Takara, and possibly Ursa and Honora. That's about it.

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Happy reading :)

* * *

Lin stayed at the hospital for another week while the healers worked on repairing the broken veins and vessels. It was completely against her will; if she had had the choice she would have left the next morning.

"Hello dear," Tenzin greeted her on her seventh morning there. "I brought you some jook per my mother's request."

She looked up from her paperwork with a disgusted look. "Not that I'm ungrateful, but that's all they'll let me eat here! Isn't there something else I could have instead?"

Tenzin grinned. "I thought you'd say that. That's why I brought this instead."

Opening up the supposed container of jook, he pulled out baozi, deep-fried pickled radishes, and an egg custard tart.

She chuckled. "You're a sneaky man, Tenzin," she said before she tucked into the egg and Komodo sausage filled baozi buns.

Tenzin looked around. "I see you haven't packed yet."

"Well, I haven't been told to leave yet so there isn't a reason to."

"You don't remember last night's conversation, do you?"

Lin tried to recollect. "I remember talking about the papers for adopting Korra and deciding whether or not she'll take my name."

"Anything else?"

The chief shook her head.

"I told you that the healers decided you could leave upon having breakfast this morning."

Lin smiled. "It's about time! I want to go back to work, for spirit's sake!"

"Oh dear, you don't remember that part either…"

Lin frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I, your mother, the police department, and the council have decided that your medical leave is now in effect, and come your eighth month it will change into your maternity leave."

"What?" she yelled. "I'm not an invalid, I'm just pregnant!"

"Easy, Lin," Tenzin soothed. "You are a survivor of one of the worst recorded bloodbending cases ever. It's a miracle that you, not to mention the children, are alive."

The metalbender crossed her arms and pouted. "Fine. But where are we going to go now that I'm out of the hospital?"

"Wherever you want. Your mother did tell me that if you so wish, we can continue to stay with her."

"Hmmm...that doesn't sound like such a bad idea."

"I thought so. That's why I've moved most my stuff to her house. Come on, they're probably waiting for us already."

It was just before lunch when the happy couple came home. Korra, Takara, and Asami, overjoyed at having her back, ran to her and hugged her legs so tight she nearly fell to the ground.

"Be careful girls, she just got out of the hospital," Tenzin warned.

The girls reluctantly released their grip on her. Lin crouched down and enveloped them all in a giant group hug.

"I've missed you all so much," she said.

"We've missed you too, Chief!" a chorus of voices answered.

"Me especially."

Lin looked up to see her mother patiently waiting. She walked up to her and gave her a hug as well.

"I've missed you, kiddo," the former chief said, releasing her hold on her. "Come on, the others are waiting."

Eri, Ursa, Honora, Azula, Katara, and the other children were waiting in the courtyard. When they saw the couple and Toph emerging, they instantly yelled "Welcome back!"

"What is this?" Lin laughed.

"This is the handiwork of your boyfriend, my dear," Eri said. "He wanted to welcome you back, but he didn't want you to know because he thought you wouldn't have approved. What, it's true!" she said upon seeing Tenzin's glare.

Lin glanced over at her blushing beau. "You did this for me?"

He sheepishly nodded.

Her heart melted a little, and she kissed him. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Now who's starving? I don't know about you, but I could go for some roasted duck!" Korra piped up.

Everyone laughed and dug into the wonderful feast that Naran had prepared, happy that their chief was once again amongst them.


	21. The Bugmen Attack

I own Zahira and Officer Kwan and (unfortunately) no one else.

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Happy reading :)

* * *

The water's wake felt cool on her skin. Refreshing, like the waves at Ember Beach, where her mother would take her to the family beach house along with her cousins. Those times were so much simpler...

"Sergeant Major Zahira, we just received a message that the unknown bugmen have struck again. I've already pinpointed it on the map."

Zahira groaned. "Ugh, not another one! Here, let's go take a look."

She stalked over to the map she had up in her office. On it were several pins, each a different color depending on the attack taken.

"Officer Kwan, refresh me on the attacks," requested Zahira, already knowing most of the answers.

"Yes, Sergeant Major. There had been no attacks prior to the full scale assault on the Avatar's compound. However, we have noted that there have been kidnappings of benders and nonbenders alike beforehand."

The master sergeant nodded along. "Continue, Officer Kwan. But when you do, please elucidate on the kidnappings of the benders after the compound assault. Location and the like would be greatly appreciated."

"Of course, Sergeant Major. After the assault we have noted an uptick in attacks and kidnappings of benders. Granted, they were often returned the next day, but not before they themselves were attacked. The benders often showed signs of vicious bloodbending that seemed to diminish their ability to bend.

"Also, if you will Sergeant Major, take a look at the map. The first areas of attack after the compound assault are at former Fire Nation colonies, which at first would lead you to think that the attacker harbored some sort of anti-Fire Nation sentiment still."

"The way you phrase that makes me think that you have another conjecture for the attacks."

"Yes, Sergeant Major, I do. At first our unknown assailant goes for former Fire Nation colonies, but then decides to go for remote areas in the Earth Kingdom? At first glance it doesn't make any sense, but after looking closer I realized that the areas he targeted harbored some of the highest rates of benders anywhere in the Republic. They also tended to be areas that are home to subset benders, such as sand benders."

"Benders that wouldn't be missed as much," she mused. "Very good, Officer Kwan. You are dismissed."

Watching as her underling marched out, she turned her attention to the map and studied it closely.

"Hmm," she said. "He travels along a very odd path. First he targets former colonies, then he lands himself in the swamps and the deserts in the middle of summer? Not a very smart move by any means-perhaps he's not native to the area? That would make the most sense."

She walked around the map, fully absorbing the information.

"The Northern Pole hasn't been attacked yet. In fact, it seems that he's completely avoiding it. Perhaps that's where the attacker's from? After all, if I were a crazy rampaging bloodbender, I would try to avoid my home for fear of hurting someone I knew and being found out."

"Also, it seems that he's been traveling westward from Ba Sing Se. At the rate he's going it won't be long before-"

A sudden lurch rocked the ship, knocking Zahira to her feet.

"Oof! What was that?"

Getting up, she stumbled to the door of her office only to find the ship in complete disarray. It had run over some underwater mines, which had caused some serious damage to the hull and sides. Water- and metalbenders were running around trying to stop the leaks and repair the damage.

Despite their best efforts, assailants were still getting in. They were odd buglike creatures who wielded electric batons with near-lethal accuracy. They quickly took down everyone they came across and were starting to head straight for her office. Zahira sunk to her knees, pretending to be knocked unconscious from the stop.

Footsteps soon entered her workspace. They ambled around and stopped upon finding her.

"So this is the esteemed Sergeant Major Zahira?" a woman's voice sneered.

"Careful, comrade. She could be playing us," another woman's voice answered.

"Well, there's one way to test it. Watch." A man cruelly kicked her in the back. She bit back a yelp. "See? No reaction."

"Okay, let's tie her up. Strange, I would have thought her stronger than this," the second woman's voice answered. "Let's stun her though, just to be sure."

Upon hearing the crackle of electricity, Zahira jumped to her feet, purple flames with blue tips coming from her feet.

"What the-" the man exclaimed shortly before being taken down by a fire stream.

Zahira quickly faced the two women, who had their batons at the ready. They advanced towards her, but not before she created a fire shield. The two women shot out electricity; however, she quickly redirected it towards their bodies and effectively knocked them out.

"Wha-how did you do that?" they asked in awe before passing out.

"You'd think they'd have known the answer to that," she muttered. Looking around, she found some rope. After gathering up the unconscious bodies, she tied them around a pole outside her workspace. She ran out into the surface to survey the damage.

All the ships had suffered moderate to severe damage; nearly a quarter had been sunk. Smoke and fire raged throughout the area, making it hard to see and breathe. Zahira coughed and held onto the side of the ship, trying not to breathe it in.

"Sergeant Major Zahira?" a voice called out.

"Officer Kwan, is that you? I'm over here!" she replied.

The young man ran over and took her to higher ground of the ship.

"Thank goodness you're okay, ma'am! I think you might be the only bender who wasn't hurt," Officer Kwan said.

"I wouldn't say that. I sustained a rather nasty kick to the back, and I can already feel it bruising."

"At least you weren't bloodbent by them," Officer Kwan gently said.

"WHAT!" she yelled.

"Yes, Master Sergeant, it seems that they came aboard to target our benders. Took out whomever they could get their hands on."

"That is very unsettling," she murmured. Her head snapped up. "Officer Kwan, I need you to contact Councilman Tenzin and Chief Lin Beifong back in Republic City."

"Yes, Sergeant Major. What do I tell them?"

"Tell them…tell them that it is of the utmost importance that we conference. That it regards the Compound."


	22. Zahira Meets the Group

I own Zahira, Melati, Meili, and Liwei. I own the restaurant too, and that's basically it.

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Happy reading :)

* * *

Tenzin had been in the middle of writing a treatise on the evolution of bending styles when the phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Councilman Tenzin? This is Officer Kwan of the United Forces. Sergeant Major Zahira wishes to speak to you. Is this a good time?"

"Of course. Please put her through."

After a few minutes and a slight rustling at the other end, she came to the phone.

"I caught you in the middle of writing a treatise, didn't I? Let me guess, it's on the regional cuisines of the Earth Kingdom."

"Evolution of bending styles," he said sheepishly. "It's good to hear from you, Zahira. Melati, Meili, and Liwei are with your mother right now. Do you want me to get them for you?"

"I already talked to them, thanks. I'm calling to speak to you and Lin, actually. The remainder of my fleet is headed into Republic City later this afternoon for repairs. Would you two want to meet at Geng Geng?"

"Remainder? Repairs?"

"I'll explain all to you there. Are you in?"

Tenzin looked outside the window, where he saw Korra perfecting one of the harder waterbending forms. Lin watched with pride.

"We're in. Does seven work for you?"

"Perfect. Oh, and can you bring Bumi along?" she added before she quickly hung up,

He sighed. This was going to be a rather interesting dinner.

Lin dressed in simple brown pants and a white top-her training clothes. Bumi had left earlier, eager to meet his wife down at the docks.

"She's back early. I thought she wasn't coming until mid-spring," she commented while brushing her hair.

"As did I, but some incident has left her and her fleet here in Republic City," Tenzin replied while shaving his head.

"Did she tell you anything about it?"

"No, she said she would fill us in at Geng Geng at seven."

"Well, we better hurry up. It's six thirty, and knowing your brother he's probably already there with Zahira and happily downing a drink or two."

Sure enough, when the couple arrived at seven Bumi and Zahira were already in a booth by the window, watching the city's first winter snowfall.

"Lin!" Zahira exclaimed, giving her old friend a hug. "It's so good to see you! Wait, is that a bump I see?"

The metalbender put a protective hand over her stomach. "Yep, I'm due in the spring."

"Congratulations! You and Tenzin must be so excited."

"Yeah," said Lin while gazing at Tenzin, "We are. So what brings you to Republic City so early? From what Bumi and Tenzin told me, you were in Ba Sing Se."

Zahira's smile quickly faded. "Here, get in. I'll tell you all about it."

The master firebender recounted her story over steaming pau buns and the restaurant's trademark soup. A somber feeling eventually replaced the warm, familial one that was there.

"Wait, so you're saying that the weird creepy bugmen that attacked Korra's compound attacked your ship?" said Bumi. "And you're still in one piece?"

"It's not like I wasn't hurt, sweetheart, and I've got nasty bruises on my back to prove it."

"Do you think they're making their way to Republic City?" asked Tenzin anxiously.

"I don't know. After the attack on my fleet, we haven't heard of any other attacks at all. Perhaps that was his goal the whole time."

"In a way that does make sense," Lin said. "But at the same time it doesn't. If the person wanted to take out all benders, why did he leave some behind? If I were them, I'd take out all the benders I possibly could. Also, why would they go from attacking subset benders in remote areas to a United Forces fleet?"

"I don't know," Zahira said quietly, looking at the flurries outside the window. "I've been tracking their movements, and I knew we were going to intersect at one point. I just didn't know when."

The group lapsed into silence.

"Hey can we visit Katara?" Zahira piped up. "My back is killing me more than it probably should."

* * *

Bumi paced back and forth outside the healing room. Katara emerged and motioned to her son.

"I'm happy you brought her to me when you did. She cracked a couple of her lower ribs, and there was some bleeding. I've managed to take care of most of it. You can see her, but try not to move her."

Bumi rushed into the room. Katara faced Tenzin and Lin.

"Now would you two mind telling me why the chief of the Northern Water Tribe came to see you?"


	23. Why's Unolok Here?

I don't own anyone, but I definitely wish I did. Don't think I own the Jasmine Dragon, either. Iroh opened up an outpost of his tea shop in Republic City since he wanted to be close to the Gaang.

Write reviews, they keep me motivated!

Happy reading :)

* * *

Tenzin and Lin looked at each other with a confused look in their eyes.

"I have no idea why he would be here, Mother. We already have Tarrlok as a representative. Lin, are the police working a case regarding a Northern Water Tribe member?"

Lin shook her head. "No, we aren't doing anything like that at the moment. Did he leave a message, at least?"

Katara went to a nearby end table and pulled up a note. Taking it, Tenzin opened it and read aloud:

_To Councilman Tenzin and Chief of Police Lin Beifong,_

_ I would love to meet you two over some tea at the Jasmine Dragon. Would you like to meet tomorrow at four? There are some issues that we need to discuss._

_Sincerely, Chief Unolok, Northern Water Tribe_

"What issues could he possibly be talking about?" Lin asked, deftly taking the note out of Tenzin's hand and reading it over herself.

"I don't know," Tenzin said. "But we're going to find out tomorrow."

"Wait, are you seriously saying we go see this man? He hasn't given a single valid reason why we should go!"

"Lin, he is the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe, close allies with my father! Even if he hasn't given us a good reason, we should go. He wouldn't be down here if the issue was a trivial one."

The chief crossed her arms. "Fine. Who's going to watch Korra, then?"

"I will," Katara said. "We need to work a bit more on her healing. Besides, once we're done with that I'm sure Bumi would love to spend some quality time with her."

"Did someone call me?" Bumi asked, poking his head out the door.

"No brother, go back inside with your wife."

"But I heard my name."

"I know, but-"

"So you were calling me!"

"Ugh, Bumi-"

"Hey, it's okay to ask for help from me every now and then. I don't mind, you know."

Tenzin sighed. "Good to know. Now don't you have something important you could be doing, like being with your wife?"

The elder brother pouted. "Fine, Airhead."

Katara had long left the room by then. Lin put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Hey, just think of it as training for the kids."

Tenzin cast a wary eye at her. "If you say so."

"Mommy, daddy!"

The couple looked to find Korra running full speed towards them.

"Hi there, water lily," Tenzin laughed, taking the little girl into his arms. "What did you do today?"

"I mastered three forms today, and Sifu Katara says that I'm really good at healing! And then after healing, Grandma Toph showed me how to bend with a blindfold on! After that I blew all the snow off the porch and roof and then I went inside to play dolls with Takara."

Tenzin paused for a moment. "You did what?"

"I blew all the snow off. It wasn't snowing anymore and I wanted it to snow again. I saw some snow on the roof still and I thought, 'What if I can get the snow up there to come down here?' So I tried waterbending, and that didn't work, and then all of a sudden this wind came and dumped all the snow down," Korra babbled.

Lin looked at the grin that was taking up Tenzin's face. "You bent your first wind today? Oh I am so proud!" He exclaimed while kissing his daughter. "Now go upstairs. It's time to sleep!"

"Yes daddy. G'night mama, g'night daddy!" she exclaimed while running up the stairs.

"She's turning into a prodigy, Tenzin," Lin remarked. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Korra is the Avatar, after all. She'll be one of the strongest benders ever. Now come on, we should get to sleep as well."

* * *

Chief Unolok of the Water Tribe was already waiting with a pot of spice tea when Lin and Tenzin arrived. "Ah, Councilman Tenzin, Chief Beifong, pleasure to meet you. Please, sit."

The duo sat and had two cups of steaming tea poured for them.

"So you're probably wondering why I've asked you to come here," the tribesman asked.

"Yes, you said you had some issues that needed to be discussed," Tenzin said.

"That's right. I hear you want to adopt the Avatar. Is that true?"

"It is," Lin answered tersely. "Is that an issue?"

"Partially, yes."

"Why?" they both asked.

"Korra is my niece," the chief explained. "Councilman, I assume you know the customs of Water Tribe culture, yes?"

"Only the Southern ways, but I'm assuming it's the same."

"Can anyone clarify this for me? I'm Earth Kingdom through and through."

The two men looked at Lin.

"In Water Tribe culture, the godfather and extended family are very crucial in raising a child. It ensures that there is always someone the child can rely on. Typically, if a child loses their parents, their godparents will take over the rearing," Tenzin explained.

"In Korra's case it was Nakoda and his wife Okela," Unolok said. "However, we believe that they died in the attack on the compound. And since Senna didn't have any kin…"

"...That would make you her guardian," Lin finished quietly.

"Exactly."

The couple sat back, saddened by the news.

Tenzin sat up. "Chief Unolok, would you like to come by the house? Korra's there taking lessons right now if you want to see her."

"I would love to."


	24. Homesick

I don't own anyone or anything except for Takara and Naran.

Please keep on writing reviews!

Enjoy :)

* * *

They walked from the tea shop to the house. On the way there, Unolok tried to make small talk.

"So Korra's birthday is coming up in three weeks. Are you all going to celebrate?"

"We're considering taking her back to Air Temple Island," Tenzin said. "Most of our family is coming into town, so it would be nice to hold a get-together there."

"Also, my mother wants to have a small party at her house for the kids," Lin added. "Goodness knows that she'll be the biggest kid of all. We're here."

As soon as Tenzin opened the gate, Takara and Asami came running.

"Uncle, Auntie!" They called out.

Tenzin scooped up Takara while Lin held Asami. The little girls quickly snuggled in, eager to have a warm body protecting them from the ever-decreasing temperatures.

"Takara, Asami, this is Chief Unolok of the Norther Water Tribe," Lin said. "He's Korra's uncle. Do you by any chance know where she is?"

"She's inside with Kya and Sifu Katara working on her healing," Takara said.

The group made their way into the receiving room and quickly shut the door so as to not let any cold air. Naran was metalbending a small figurine while Toph watched, sipping a cup of jasmine tea.

"Mom, sister, I want you to meet Chief Unolok of the Northern Water Tribe," Lin said. "He's Korra's uncle."

The women's heads quickly snapped up.

"Uncle, eh?" Toph said. "Let me get Korra for you. She's almost done with lessons for the day."

Toph half walked, half stalked to the lesson room. A pile of rocks from an earlier earthbending session with Takara remained in one corner while a soft mat and mirror for Asami's self defense lessons was in another. Korra, Katara, and Kya were surrounding a training dummy, pointing out exactly where and how the little girl should 'heal' it.

"Korra, dear, there's someone waiting for you in the receiving room," Toph said. "It's probably best if you go down and say hello."

The little girl, with a nod from each of the waterbenders, got up and trotted down to where the guest was waiting. After she was gone, the women peppered her with questions.

"Guest? What sort of guest?"

"Who is it?"

"Why a guest for Korra and not, say, for Naran?"

"Last I checked, her boyfriend was off on patrol in Ba Sing Se," Toph said. "Tonight's 'special' guest is Chief Unolok of the Northern Water Tribe. He's come here because he wants to see his niece."

"Wait, Korra is his niece?" Kya asked, puzzled.

"Apparently. I don't like the context of his visit, though."

"Why not?"

"He just happens to show up right when Tenzin and Lin are about to file Korra's adoption papers? That can't be a coincidence."

"No, it's not," Katara affirmed. "He's come to take Korra back to the North Pole with him, I can almost guarantee it."

"Lin and Tenzin must already know that too. I could feel sadness in their vibrations-a sort of heaviness, if you will."

Kya sighed. "It's tradition. Godparents and extended family will take over raising a child if their parents die. Since Korra's godparents are gone, and Senna doesn't have any kin, Unolok would naturally have to take over her rearing."

"Does he have to? Can't he see that she's happy here?"

"Regardless of how happy she is, he'll have to take her," Kya said sadly. "It doesn't look right for the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe to leave the raising of his niece to someone else-it's one of our strongest held beliefs that family raises family."

"Technically Korra is family. After all, she's just Twinkletoes in another body."

A lengthy silence filled the room.

"I don't know about you, but I want to see how Korra's reacting to this," Katara said. "Shall we go?"

The three women arrived in the room to see the little girl staring confusedly at the chieftain. Lin and Tenzin, holding hands, looked on worriedly. Naran watched as well, but kept an eye on her daughter and Asami, who were reading in a corner.

"Korra, do you remember me?" he asked. "You used to visit me during this time of year. I used to take you to the spring in my palace. You really liked it there. Now that you're the Avatar, I guess we know why."

Korra thought for a moment, then shook her head.

"Wow, you look so much like Senna," he said, gently touching her face. "Yet so much of Tonraq is there too."

"Wait," Korra paused, stepping back. "How do you know their names? How do you know me?"

Unolok sighed. "You really don't remember. I'm your uncle, Korra. Your father and I were brothers."

This piece of news was received by a blank look on Korra's face.

"I should get going," the chieftain said, getting up.

"Of course," Tenzin said. "We don't want to keep you."

"Before you go, though," Lin said. "Please know that we would love to have you at Air Temple Island in three weeks for her party."

Unolok smiled. "I would love to come."

* * *

Later that night, Lin and Tenzin laid in bed. Tenzin held her in his arms, one draped around her shoulder and the other resting on her stomach. Lin laid her head on his chest.

"What are we going to do Tenzin?" Lin asked in a small voice.

"I don't know, Lin," he said quietly, stroking her arm.

She quietly buried her head deeper in his chest. "It's just-I know she should go with her uncle, but I want her here, Tenzin! I want her to be our daughter!"

He held her closer to him as she started to sob. It was at that moment that he felt something under his hand.

"Lin, did they just kick?"

The metalbender raised her head a bit. "Yeah," she said, a small smile on her lips. "It seems they don't want Korra to leave either."

* * *

A week had passed since Unolok had visited. He had left soon after, but had promised he would be back in time for his niece's birthday. Korra, tired after a long day of lessons, was watching the snow falling outside, a nighttime wonderland illuminated by streetlamps.

"Are you waiting for Daddy?" Lin asked, sitting on the couch.

Tenzin was in the middle of negotiations at City Hall. He was lucky to be out before nightfall.

Korra, curled up in a ball, shook her head no.

Realization soon dawned on the police chief. "You miss it, don't you? The South Pole?"

The little girl looked up, tears in her eyes.

"Oh sweetheart," Lin said, pulling her daughter into her arms. "I'm so sorry. I know it must be hard for you."

Korra replied with a sniffle. The metalbender remained there for a while, rocking her back and forth. An idea popped into her head.

"Are you hungry, by any chance?" she asked the small bundle in her arms.

She replied with a small nod.

"Good, because I know the perfect place. Go get your coat on, dear, it's too cold outside to go out in just your clothes."

Twenty minutes later, Lin and Korra were settled at a table at Narook's Seaweed Noodlery.

"I used to come here all the time when I was younger-still do," Lin said as they brought out steaming bowls of seaweed noodles.

Korra eyed her noodles, then carefully picked up her chopsticks and sucked them in her mouth. A smile filled her face.

"Now that's more like it," Lin said, smiling as well. "So, kiddo, your birthday's coming up in a couple weeks. Do you want anything in particular?"

Korra thought for a minute. "Well, there is one thing. When I was on the island, I found this really cool stick."

"A stick?"

"It wasn't just any stick, mama! When I reached for it, it fell on the ground and grew wings!"

Lin leaned back. She didn't want a stick; she wanted an air glider.

"I'll talk to your father about it," she said. "Is there anything else?"

Korra shook her head.

"Well, there's still some time left," Lin said. "Here, let's go back home."

After paying for their meal and picking up some takeout for Tenzin, Korra looped her hand in Lin's. The metalbender held on to it tightly, savoring the moment.

"I love you Mama," Korra said, looking up at her mother with large blue eyes.

Lin's heart grew heavy, bittersweetness filling the moment.

"I love you too, my water lily."


	25. I Would Cooperate If I Were You

Hi guys! Here's the chapter, at last!

I only own Zahira, Captain Hong, Niang, Xin Li, and Sovan.

Keep on writing reviews!

Enjoy! :D

Note: Niang mentions wearing voice-changing mouthpieces. I assume that they're something like the yellow pipes on an Equalist's mask.

* * *

Zahira was not a happy camper.

She stretched, her back throbbing. Bumi turned over slightly.

"Z, can't this wait?" he mumbled before getting kissed lightly on the cheek. "You don't see me getting up right now, do you? For spirits' sake, it's six in the morning!"

"No, but then again it wasn't your fleet that was attacked, was it?" she said tersely, changing out the bindings she was wearing. "If the kids ask, tell them-"

"I'll tell them that Mom's busy kicking criminal butt."

"I was going to say training recruits but hey, that works too," she said, stepping into her uniform. "I'll try to be back by lunch, but who knows how long this is going to take?"

Fifteen minutes later she arrived on base.

"Like clockwork," her superior, Captain Hong, said upon seeing Master Sergeant Zahira.

"What do we have today, Captain?"

"Remember those cocky sons-of-Sozin who tried to take down our fleet and failed?"

"Yes, Captain. My back and ribs remember, too."

"We were doing a cursory check when we found one of them stowed away. I figured I would let you have to honor of interrogating them."

Zahira turned to face the captain. "Me, Captain? Are you sure?"

"I've already made them very, very compliant. They shouldn't cause you problems, and if they do they'll answer to me. That's what happens when they mess with the Forces' best firebender."

"Thanks, Captain. I am truly honored."

"You are a prodigy, just like your mother. I don't think I've seen anything quite like it. Now go get them!"

The suspect was a young woman whose black bangs fell into her striking grey eyes. She could turn heads, but her scrawny stature, worn clothes and gaunt face detracted from her potential beauty.

"You've run up quite a track record, Niang," Zahira commented, looking at the file in front of her. "You've been arrested five times for stealing, three times for lockpicking, three times for running away, twice for vagrancy, and you aren't even twenty yet."

The girl's face remained blank.

"Are you really going to cold-shoulder it? That would be bad, because we're currently looking at having you serve at least twenty years in military prison."

Niang rolled her eyes, looking bored.

The master sergeant got up suddenly, causing the girl to nearly fall out of her chair. Purple flames radiated from her palms.

"There's two ways to go about this. You can cooperate," she said, then pushed the flames closer to the girl's face. "Or you can _cooperate,_" she hissed.

Niang waited, the blue tips of the flame kissing her face. Slowly, she nodded.

"Good, now we can get on with this. But first things first; how on earth did you rack up such a record?"

"My father killed my mother in a fit of drunken rage when I was 11 in Ba Sing Se. I escaped with my then-three year old brother to my godmother's house in Makapu by caravan. When we got there and told her what had happened, her already fragile mind snapped. We then fled to Republic City, where I would lock-pick abandoned houses for us to live in and steal food for us to survive on."

"Were you not placed in an orphanage?"

"Oh we were, but they completely abused us there. We found out we could bend not long after we got there, which led to the revelation that we were the only benders in the entire place. I was able to conceal my waterbending to the point of almost losing it completely, but my brother was too strong an earthbender to hide it. This led to us being treated like outcasts and our running away. We did slightly better, though."

Zahira raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"I won a Sato grant to study at Wushu. They let me take my brother too when they saw his bending skills."

The master sergeant gave a slight nod of approval. "Impressive." This girl was special, to be sure; only seven Sato grants, which would pay for all of a person's education and almost guarantee them a job, were given out each year. Also, she was accepted to train at Wushu School of the Self Defense Arts, perhaps the most prestigious bending school in all of the Republic. It was known by many as a school of prodigies, since they were the only ones who could get in.

"This still doesn't answer one question, though."

"What is it?"

"How did you end up on the ship?"

"I heard my father had wrangled himself a job in the United Forces; more specifically, a job on your fleet. I was eager to see if this was true when I was summoned to the North Pole. Apparently, my father had also been seen there. I and a group of other people who were also summoned combed the entire area but didn't find him."

"Wait, the North Pole? Have you been in the Earth Kingdom at all, or the South Pole?"

"No, we haven't-in fact, the invasion of your fleet was really our first attack. I have no idea who blew up the ships, though; we were only supposed to go in, see if he was there, take him, and then get out."

"Your father wouldn't happen to be a waterbender, would he? Or your godmother, perhaps?"

"No, he's an earthbender, like my brother. My godmother doesn't bend, but I'm not even sure if she's alive still. I haven't been in contact with her since her mind snapped."

"What is her name?"

"Xin Li."

"Who summoned you?"

"I don't know-all I got for my summoning was an unsigned, typed up letter telling me that I was to go to the North Pole. For my travel expanses, a tidy sum was provided, with more to come if I actually went. I probably should have questioned it more, but after growing up not knowing when your next meal is, you take what you can."

"What happened to the others?"

"I don't know. When they found out my father wasn't on the ship, the blame automatically fell on me, his daughter. I managed to take out a few of them with my knives and bending but they soon overpowered me, knocked me out, and placed in that closet where you all found me. No, I wasn't the leader of the invasion-again, I was summoned to attack with a tidy sum that I should have questioned. To answer your next question, I don't know who the leader is. I just follow orders so I can get paid and provide for my little brother."

"Do you have a slight idea where they would go?"

"I don't know. Maybe they would go back to the Earth Kingdom, but I wouldn't go searching for them. The only reason everyone's together is because of the cash that comes with each summoning, and after our job's done we go back to whatever we did before. Also, we wear masks to conceal our faces and mouthpieces to change our voice, so I couldn't point them out to you even if I tried."

Zahira leaned back, troubled.

"Am I in trouble still?"

"No, you're not. You may leave, but stay at Wushu. We are going to need you later on, so it's best you stick around."

"Of course."

With that the lithe young woman gracefully strode out of the interrogation room. Zahira buried her head in her hands.

"You know what this means, right?"

The master sergeant looked up to find her superior sitting across from her.

"That now we have two anti-bending lunatics on the loose? I mean, the other one only hates one earthbender, but that hate could quickly escalate. The girl could also be lying, but I don't know…"

"No, she was telling the truth. I find that body language tells us more than words ever can. Besides, I thought I recognized her. I've been frequenting Wushu for talent we could commission, and she consistently stood out as one of the top waterbenders, not to mention as a top knife thrower-her accuracy is incredible. I was going to make her an offer when she disappeared without a trace. I guess we know where she went now."

"We should look into the godmother. Trust me, being mentally unhinged and bearing a prejudice against benders is not a good combination, Captain."

"Already have. About six years ago, Xin Li took in her godchildren Niang and Sovan. From what I could tell, she assumed that the parents would be coming in the next couple days after their arrival. A week or so went by, and no parents, so she confronted Niang on the true nature of their stay. When the girl told her, she lost her already fragile mind. The kids left the next day for Republic City. She didn't stay long either-she left for a sanatorium soon after."

"Do you know where, Captain Hong?"

The captain flipped through the file. "Somewhere in the Fire Nation I think, why?"

A smile played upon the master sergeant's lips. "I know exactly where to go."


	26. Time To Visit The Loony Bin

I own everyone in this chapter except for Bumi. I think that's a first...

Keep the reviews coming!

Enjoy the chapter :3

* * *

Zahira came home five hours, exhausted from the long interview.

"Mommy!" a chorus of voices greeted her. Bumi watched as she embraced Melati and picked up Meili and Liwei.

"Hey Z, how did it go?" he asked, taking Meili and giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"It went well," she said simply, shooting her husband a _we'll talk about it later_ look.

He, picking up on it, faced the children. "Kids, can you go to the playroom? Your mother and I are going to make lunch, and as much as we love you, we need peace and quiet."

After the children left the room, the couple went to the kitchen.

"So how did it go?" he asked, getting out ingredients for zhajiangmian, a spicy noodle dish common to the Fire Nation.

She turned away, starting to dice scallions and garlic.

Bumi, worried, started to chop up Komodo chicken, adding the pieces to the large wok.

"What I tell you will not leave this kitchen, okay?" she said, adding in the scallions and garlic and stir-frying them.

"Of course," he said, adding in some chili sauce and starting on the noodles.

"The attack on my fleet was not related to the attack on Korra's compound."

Her husband stopped, watching as the contents before him simmered.

"Are you saying that there are two anti-bending lunatics on the loose now?"

"Yep," she replied, taking down dishes and glasses. "Only, the one I'm currently after is more seeking revenge on one bender than on all of them. However, tomorrow I'm headed back home due to a lead."

"Already? Not bad," he said, serving the meal onto plates. "But you do realize Korra's birthday is in eleven days, right?"

"I know. But hopefully my visit to JSB won't take too long."

"WHAT?" Bumi yelled, nearly dropping the glasses of water he was placing on the table. "Why are you going back to your mother's old mental institute? I thought she was okay!"

"My mother is, but my suspect on the other hand…"

Bumi sighed, pulling his wife into his arms and kissing her ardently.

"I'm going to miss you," he murmured.

"Oh for spirit's sake-"

Husband and wife whirled around to find Melati leaning in the doorway, arms folded across her chest.

"I was going to ask if lunch's ready, but I'm not so sure I have an appetite anymore."

"Ha, ha," her mother retorted, cheeks slightly red. "Can you get the twins?"

Their daughter promptly disappeared and came back a few minutes later with her siblings in tow. Everyone quickly settled in and devoured their meal. Bumi and Zahira kept shooting each other glances.

"Kids, your mother and I have something to tell you," Bumi said.

The clattering of chopsticks stopped as the kids put them down and faced their father.

"Is something wrong?" Liwei asked.

"No, everything's fine," Zahira reassured him. "But I have to go back to the Fire Nation to visit a suspect."

"Ooh, cool! Where are you going?" Meili said.

"I'm going to JSB."

"WHAT?" the children yelled. Small sparks emerged from the twins' fingers. Zahira's eyes widened.

"Z, what just happened?" Bumi asked out of the side of his mouth, trying to act like nothing happened.

"I think they just created their first sparks."

* * *

The next morning Zahira boarded the ship bound for JSB. After giving her children hugs and kisses, she left Bumi with explicit instructions to start the twins' firebending training under her mother. By afternoon, she had reached JSB, which was on one of the smaller islands in the Fire Nation.

JSB, also known by its formal name Jingshenbing, was a mental institute where only the most severe cases went. It was also where Azula went due to the extent of her mental breakdown. Situated on picturesque Rua Island, its calming atmosphere was crucial in healing its patients.

"Well, it's beautiful, I'll give it that much," Captain Hong said after stepping off the ship. "Did you ever come here yourself?"

"Every year. My mother would bring me along so I could visit with the patients and nurses while she received her annual check up. I still visit when I can as well."

"Rea Zahira!"

The two soldiers turned around to find a young nurse running up to them.

"Chuntao!" Zahira laughed, embracing her old friend. "This is my superior, Captain Hong."

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain."

"Pleasure's all mine. Out of curiosity, why did you call my soldier Rea?"

"It's her royal title. Since she is part of the royal line that would take over the throne should anything happen to the Fire Lord or his family, she and her family gets a special honorific. For example, Rea Zahira's mother would be Domina Azula, since she would be the one to ascend to the throne first. Rea Zahira and Oxan Bumi would be next, with Setas Melati and Meili and Jyan Liwei coming after them."

"Wow, that is...pretty confusing," remarked Captain Hong. "So do you know anything about a patient named Xin Li?"

Chuntao's face darkened.

"Let's go inside. We can talk about it there."

The group ended up in a small, dark filing room where someone was already waiting for them.

"Niang, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at Wushu?"

The graceful young woman strode towards the master sergeant.

"I want to help. I love my godmother, but whatever's going on has to stop."

Rea Zahira looked at her superior, who simply shrugged her shoulders.

"Let's get down to business, shall we?" Chuntao chose a file and spread its contents out over a table.

"Xin Li was one of our worst cases. We were dispatched to get her by her neighbors after her breakdown, and brought her here. She stayed in Level 5 housing."

"Is that high?" Captain Hong and Niang asked.

"It's the highest level there is," Zahira replied. "She must have been severely broken."

"She was-did nothing but rock back and forth and babble to herself all day for the first couple years," Chuntao said. "But over time she got better. Eventually she was able to function just like the rest of us could. When we told her she qualified for RF, she left against our wishes."

"RF?"

"Stands for restricted freedom," Zahira clarified. "For a couple hours a day for however long the doctors say, you could leave the institute and go about the town like any other person. The doctors do this so they can gauge how well you would do in real life. The better you do, the more time you're given. You're supposed to do so well that you can leave the institute. How long was her RF sentence, Chuntao?"

"16 months."

"That long?" Niang said, slightly shocked.

"If you had seen Xin Li you'd have been surprised it was that short."

"Do you know where she went?"

"The official answer? No."

Zahira raised an eyebrow. "And your answer?"

"I hear she's running the Hama Inn. No one's been able to confirm, though."

Zahira looked at the group assembled around her. "I think it's time we paid a visit to the market."

* * *

At lunchtime, the group descended upon the bustling market.

"So why are we at the market again, Rea?" Captain Hong said over dumplings.

"I find that you can learn a lot about life through markets," Zahira said while chomping on fire flakes. "Now why don't we go to some stalls?"

The group then fanned out, each finding a stall that interested them. Niang was examining a set of daggers when she overheard some conversation between a fellow shopkeeper and the proprietor.

"It's a shame Xin Li's not here. I have a beautiful butterfly sword that she would love."

"Yeah, I know. I hear she's off in Republic City visiting family."

"Good for her. She works so hard, she deserves to have a vacation."

Niang's blood ran cold.

_Sovan._


	27. Happy Birthday Korra!

I don't own Lin, Tenzin, Korra, Katara, Bumi, or Unolok. The others, however, are fair game.

Please R&R! :D

* * *

The day dawned bright and sunny over the glittering snow, almost as if nature itself was celebrating Korra's sixth birthday.

Lin and Tenzin rose to prepare for the surprise party that they were throwing Korra. The small family had moved to Air Temple Island a couple weeks beforehand. While they had enjoyed their time at Toph's house, they realized that it was time to move back to their own home. The monks had willingly handled most of the work, so all the family needed to do was be there.

Tenzin changed into a new pair of monk's robes and shaved his head while Lin changed into a white-and-green colored hanbok and stepped into some matching embroidered flats. Her lover tried in vain to style her hair, and ended up resorting to a simple four-strand braid, which she guided his hands into securing with pins.

"My, don't you two look dashing," commented Katara from the doorway. She was wearing a new kimono-style dress that was common of Water Tribe women.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Mother. Do you know where the birthday girl is, by any chance?"

"I'm here, I'm here!" giggled a certain Water Tribe girl as she tumbled into the room.

Korra was wearing a periwinkle kimono tunic-dress with navy pants underneath. An intricately sewn landscape of the South Pole dominated the bottom of the tunic and the removable sleeves. Her hair had been braided back, with small hair loopies hanging loose and attaching to the start of her braid in the back. Tenzin, to Lin's chagrin, picked Korra up and 'flew' her through the air, revealing simple periwinkle flats embroidered with the Water Tribe symbol.

"Happy birthday sweetheart," Tenzin said, giving her a kiss. "I love you."

"Love you too Daddy!"

"My pretty water lily, happy birthday!" Lin said, tickling her daughter until she shrieked with laughter. "Now why don't you go downstairs and get some lunch?"

Smiling, the girl bounced down the stairs with her parents trailing closely behind, trying in vain to hide the smiles on their faces. When Korra got to the end of the stairs, everyone yelled "Surprise!"

The room had been done up with festive garlands and streamers. A huge grin was plastered on Korra's face, who then ran off to play with her friends on the rather large pile of gifts that had accumulated due to her doting aunts and uncles. The adults were having a good time as well, sitting on the couches and catching up. When Zahira saw Lin, she motioned her over.

"Any news?" Lin said upon sitting down.

"She may be in Republic City as we speak. Captain Hong's trying to track her movements. Niang and Sovan are with me so we can keep an eye on them. Not that they mind anyway," Zahira said, gesturing to where the sister and brother were playing with the other children.

"Does she hate benders?"

"Only one, so I wouldn't worry...as much."

* * *

Korra, in the meantime, was playing hide-and-seek with her playmates. Niang watched as the children squirmed into hiding places inside the rather large pile of gifts. Bumi, who was supposed to be watching as well, was letting the kids climb all over him. Eventually he resorted to tickling everyone within his arm's reach.

"I swear, my husband is worse than the kids sometimes."

Niang's head snapped around to find Zahira sitting next to her, the setting sun highlighting the amber flecks in her hazel eyes.

"Somehow I don't think you mind."

"Eh, can't say that I do," the sergeant major said. "You seem happy."

"I am. My little brother's happy, and he's making friends. He and Iroh seem to be getting along swimmingly."

A comfortable silence lapsed between the two. Zahira chose to break it.

"There's something more, isn't there? Something else that's making you happy."

Niang hesitated, looking away.

"Well...yeah, there is. For the first time in a long time, I have a semblance of a family in you and Bumi and the kids. My brother and I have been on our own for so long, I've almost forgotten what it's like to have someone who worries about you if you don't come home on time or makes you your favorite meal when you're down or makes sure you don't leave the house without a jacket. Sovan, on the other hand, has never really known. He was only three when it all happened-I doubt he remembers anything from before."

Zahira's eyes softened, and she pulled the teenager into a hug. Niang stiffened at first, but soon relaxed.

"You can stay with me and Bumi for as long as you like, you know," said Zahira. "But you don't have to if you don't want to. We understand if you want to go back to Wushu's dorms."

Niang pulled away. "You don't have to do this, you know. Sovan and I can function fine on our own."

"I know you can. The fact that you two are living testifies to that. But you said it yourself, that you would only function. What if you would like to do more than that? Just a thought," Zahira said, leaving to watch the lighting of the birthday cake.

"Wait!" Niang called out, catching up to Zahira. "I do. I want to stay."

* * *

Unolok had to admit, these Air Acolytes knew how to throw a party.

They had put up decorations, made sure music was playing, and had cooked up a delicious spread. Ever dutiful, the saffron-robed monks constantly darted around to ensure everyone was okay and having a wonderful time.

As he watched the throng of friends and family crowding around Korra and singing to her "Happy Birthday," he couldn't help but notice how happy she was here.

Sure, she had spent some time with him earlier in the party and they had bonded, but what she had with the police chief and the airbending master was different. It was deeper somehow, almost as if they were blood.

He knew what had to be done.

After everyone was done eating cake, he approached Lin and Tenzin.

"Can I speak to you two in the courtyard?"

The couple nodded. In a couple minutes the trio was outside, their breath coming out in wisps reminiscent of a dragon's breath.

"I've been thinking about Korra and her living situation," the chief said.

Lin and Tenzin looked at each other, worry reflected in their eyes.

"I've decided that she will be staying here with you in Republic City. I can provide her with a safe environment for her to study in, but I can't provide the love that you can or the friendships of her peers. She needs you all a lot more than she needs me."

Tenzin placed a friendly hand on the chief's shoulder. "Know that you are always welcome to come by and visit whenever you like."

The chief nodded. "Before I go, make sure Korra gets this." He trotted across the courtyard and grabbed some rope. On the other end of it was a polar bear-dog puppy.

"It's different from the others, this one," said Unolok. "Acts as docile as any household pet. I hear Korra needs an animal guide and I was thinking that maybe this could be it."

Lin gave him a warm hug. "Take care, Unolok."

After watching the chieftan leave, the couple walked hand in hand back to their daughter's party, feeling warmer than they ever had before.


	28. You Haven't Already?

I don't own anyone in this story. But one can dream, eh?

You know the drill: R&R!

* * *

Life was good on Air Temple Island.

Tenzin and Lin would rise every morning in a lover's induced fog and get ready to go off to their respective jobs; Tenzin would depart for City Hall, and Lin would 'run errands' even though everyone knew that she was really going down to work at police headquarters.

Korra had finally become a Beifong, a fact that she was very proud of. She would tell this to everyone and anyone who would listen, including her favorite uncle Bumi.

"Uncle Bumi, Uncle Bumi," she yelled, running into his arms. "I'm a Beifong now, isn't that cool?"

"It's very cool," he said, affectionately ruffling his niece's hair. "You know, they say that Beifong's are made from the earth itself."

"Really?" Korra said. "That's cool! I don't think it applies to me though."

"Maybe not," Bumi conceded. "But you are the Avatar. If I remember correctly, you're made of all the elements."

The little girl responded with a questioning look.

"You haven't heard the story, water lily? I'll tell it to you then," he said picking her up and situating themselves on a couch.

"A long, long time ago, everyone was a bender. But they didn't bend the elements; no, they bent the energy within themselves."

Korra looked up in shock from Bumi's lap. "What? That can't be possible, right Uncle Bumi?"

He gave her a bittersweet smile in return. "It is, little lily. My father was one of the last to possess the talent. I think it might have even died out with him."

"Anyways, getting back to the story. People could bend the energy within themselves. However, their environment and temperaments increasingly affected how well they could bend their energy. Before long, everyone lost the ability to bend their energy and gained the ability to bend their native element instead. You would think that this wasn't so bad; after all, manipulating the elements can help save your life. But you'd be wrong."

"What happened, Uncle Bumi?"

"The thing with energybending is that you can heal yourself using your own energy or transfer knowledge with it. Water possesses the power to heal, but even that is a poor substitute. Benders of other elements got frustrated with the lack of healing skills, so they went on a violent rampage throughout their homelands. Burned, smushed, froze, or blew everything in sight away. The spirits were furious that their elements were being used to destroy, so they left the spirit world and were planning to destroy all of us."

"We're still here, though. What happened?"

"For starters, you came along. The spirits were literally about to take out everyone when they issued a proclamation. They said that the world could be saved if one among them possessed the power to manipulate all four elements. Everyone wailed, for they thought it was impossible. It was then that the first incarnation of you stepped out of the crowd and towards the spirits. They were shocked at the gall of this mortal, who was hardly more than a teen, and prepared to decimate us all when you demonstrated your ability with all of the elements. It was then that you and the spirits struck a truce. The spirits would not come back and attack us if you stuck around and maintained balance. Of course, you realized you wouldn't live forever and that is why you started to reincarnate."

By this time Korra was getting somewhat antsy. She could see Tenzin's saffron robes in the distance and was aching to try some airbending moves on him.

"Hey kiddo," Bumi whispered into her ear. "How good is your waterbending? Because I have an idea…"

After outlining his plan, Korra clapped her hands in glee. "You're a mad genius, Bumi!" she yelled, hugging his legs and running off.

Bumi paused, bittersweetness filling the moment. He then approached his brother. "Ah Tenzin," he said, starting to imitate waterbending moves. "It's so nice of you to join us!"

At that moment Bumi 'bent' a large stream of water directly at Tenzin, effectively soaking him. Annoyed and slightly in shock, he airbended the water from his clothes while Lin tried to conceal her laughter from behind.

"I don't believe you, Bumi! We are grown men here!"

"Maybe you are. I like to think I grew up only on the outside."

"I think he's right, Tenzin," Lin said, holding her aching sides. "Korra, where are you? I know you're here."

Korra popped up from her hiding place and scampered over to her mother, a mischievous grin on her face.

"You're an adorable little troublemaker, I'll give you that much," her mother said as she took her hand. "Let's go to Katara and see if we can squeeze in an extra lesson."

Bumi watched them leave, then faced an annoyed Tenzin. "I see her neck is bare."

"She's not one for jewelry."

"You can't carve, can you?"

Tenzin sighed. "Just come with me to my study."

The brothers strode over to their destination. Tenzin fumbled around in his desk until he came across a carved box, which he then placed on the desk.

"You did this box? Not bad," Bumi said, giving a nod of approval.

"The design? Yes. The actual making of the box? No. The more important thing is what's inside."

Opening the lock, he pulled out a simple choker. It consisted of a carved pendant on a purple ribbon. Carved on the pendant was the symbol for earthbending, which was framed by waves.

"Wow," Bumi, gently picking up the necklace. "This is beautiful. How long have you had it?"

"I carved it for her sixteenth birthday. I remember Uncle Sokka had to show me how-took us over two weeks for us to get it right."

"You've had it for that long? Why haven't you given it to her?"

"I was scared. Scared that she would say no, that she would think it's antiquated. Besides, I was terrified of what would happen if Toph would find out."

The two men shared a laugh.

"Does Zahira wear her necklace? I remember seeing you carve the flames into it like it was yesterday."

"Oh she wears it. _All_ the time."

Tenzin winced. "There are some things I don't need to know, Bumi."

Bumi chortled, then got serious. "Look Tenzin, you just need to man up and give it to her. She's going to accept it, I can guarantee it."

His brother relaxed.

"Thanks Bumi. That's just what I needed to hear."


	29. Going Home

I own Captain Hong, Zahira, Sovan, and Niang. Wish I owned Toph, though.

Thanks for waiting so long. I've been away at journalism camp, and that doesn't provide a lot of time for writing, unfortunately :/

So enjoy and R&R :3

* * *

Captain Hong and Zahira sat at the sergeant major's table, frowning over a map. For a while attacks had stalled, but they were starting to resurge around the area of Ba Sing Se. Ignored cups of green tea sat by their hands, their owners deep in thought.

"Heard anything recently?" Niang asked, seating herself after serving a plate of fruit and pau buns. Moving into Zahira's house had done her well; while still slim, she had slightly filled out, and her once-gaunt face was now glowing with health. Her ragged clothes had long been replaced with better, more flattering ones-currently she was wearing a navy dress over light blue tights and black boots. Her black jacket had white lapels and cuffs, and it belted flatteringly at the waist. She was attractive, to be sure; boys could often be found calling on her.

"No," Zahira said, frustrated. "Every one of our eyes disappears within the first two weeks we send them there."

"Did you only send benders or-?"

"No, we sent an equal amount of both," Captain Hong said. "Same thing happens to both-only, for some reason, we lose contact with nonbenders first."

"Hmm, that is odd. Do you think these letters can help?" the teenager said, pulling them from under the bread basket and handing them to the sergeant major. Zahira's eyes flicked across the pages, absorbing the information the characters contained. After a few minutes she folded and set them aside.

"The men wrote to us using a traditional diamond cipher. As it turns out, they have been trying to contact us for quite a while now, but they fear that their mail is being intercepted before it reaches their true goal. Anyways, they have been recruited into some sort of training camp for something their 'superiors' call Diangun."

"Diangun? Wow, I didn't even think that was around anymore!" Niang exclaimed.

The two officers turned to look at her.

"You've heard of this?" the captain asked.

"I used to live in Ba Sing Se as a kid. As far as I know-and I don't know much-it was exclusive to the area. Diangun is a self-defense art that, if done correctly, helps you channel your energy through weaponry. Think of it as energybending, but not quite."

"What exactly does it compromise?"

"I remember Dianguni were very agile, fast on their feet. They carried with them batons with electrical powers-mostly for show, but they could be used to disarm others. Supposedly, it helped draw out their energy and use it more powerfully."

"Sounds like a recipe for disaster," Zahira noted.

"It was. The electricity they used was very crude. As a kid I would hear horror stories of teenagers not much older than I was accidentally electrocuting themselves. I should probably note it was popular with children-they really liked the special effects of the baton."

"Did you ever think of joining?" Zahira asked, a slight edge in her voice.

"No. Waterbending and electricity don't really mix well, last time I checked. They tried their best to recruit me, though-showed me around the grounds, let me sit in on a couple classes-but I still had no desire to."

"Who showed you around?"

"The students did. I don't remember their names, or what they looked like. I was only ten when this happened."

"Do you know where the grounds are?" Zahira asked.

Niang thought for a moment. "I think so. You don't seriously think they could still be there after everything that's happened, do you?"

"It's worth a shot," the captain said. "Master Sergeant, Niang, pack your bags. Tomorrow we depart for Ba Sing Se."

* * *

The quintet reached their destination a couple days later. Niang's brother Sovan and Toph had decided to join in, Sovan because he wanted to see his birthplace, Toph because she "had some unfinished business to take care of."

"Wow, this place is beautiful," Zahira said, walking through the marketplace.

"Eh, it's okay," Toph said. "You'd think that in 58 years it would have changed a bit."

Captain Hong looked around, taking in the sights and smells of the fabled city. She soon noticed that the bustling marketplace had ground to a halt, enraptured by the group.

"Sergeant Major, what exactly are they focusing on?"

Zahira looked around, noticing the lack of activity and the whispers rippling through the marketplace. She soon noticed that as the heads of their group, Niang and Sovan, passed people would bow their heads. The eight-year old looked around quizzically, but his older sister took no notice, setting her grey eyes in a stony gaze. It soon dawned on her.

"Captain, I think they're nobility."

Instinctively they dropped back, leaving Niang at the very front with Toph and her brother flanking her. The teenager noticed and hissed, "Stay close to me," before turning back around. The officers faced each other, a questioning look in their eyes, before complying.

Niang wore a golden cheongsam that showed off her fit body. Her hair was braided into a bun at the nape of her neck that was held together with two delicately designed ivory pins. Her brother, who wore a dark green tunic with gold accents and gold pants, held tightly onto her hand.

"Where are we going?" he asked, looking up at his sister.

She stalked onward to the Upper Ring, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

"Home, Sovan. We're going home."


	30. Niang's Story

I don't own Toph, but I do own everyone else.

Please R&R!

* * *

"Wow. I can't even see normally, and I can already tell this is a beautiful house."

Toph, along with the rest of the group, was standing in front of a large house in the Upper Ring. Like the other houses, it was made of stone and had the characteristic golden roof tiles. Its entrance was home to a neatly manicured flower garden, and trees from the nearby park gave shade and privacy.

"This was home?" Sovan asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

"For the first three years of your life it was," his sister answered.

After a slight hesitation, she knocked on the door. A woman in her early sixties opened it, her large brown eyes focusing on the teenager in front of her.

"Nia? Is that you?" she asked incredulously.

The teenager nodded, then buried herself in the elder woman's arms.

"My love, I've missed you so much!" she said after releasing Niang. "Look how much you've grown! And is this young master here Sovan? I can hardly recognize him! Are these your friends? Please everyone, come inside!"

Niang led the way in, discreetly wiping away her tears so as to not smear her makeup. There was a large, open receiving area sunned by large windows. The group settled on some of the low, plush couches, by which there was a long table with goodies for them. Other tables held lamps and photographs of the family that lived there.

"Hope, this is a lovely place you have here," Toph commented.

Sovan turned in surprise. "You know Opi?"

The former chief smiled. "I was there when she was born. I've visited her ever since."

"Thanks, Toph," Hope said. "I received it after the former owner left. We raised Niang and Sovan here up until the..incident."

Niang with a start left the room, climbing up the wooden stairs. Zahira also got up, but felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Let her be, Sergeant Major," Captain Hong said. "She needs time."

Zahira sighed and resettled herself.

Silence reigned as Hope poured their ginseng tea. Toph metalbended a spare cable she had as Sovan watched her technique. Captain Hong pretended to be interested in the tapestries hanging on the wall. Zahira examined one of the photos on a nearby end table. It was a family portrait of sorts. There was a tall man who wore the traditional robes of the Earth Kingdom and a large grin. A large hand rested on a petulant child, her straight black hair left down save for two buns on her head. His wife, who was next to him, wore Water Tribe clothes in the Earth Kingdom style. She carried in her arms a toddler boy, whose big eyes looked questioningly at the camera.

"They tried to make a tradition of family photos. Needless to say, Nia was not amused."

Zahira put down the frame, her gaze still lingering.

"She hasn't told you much about herself, has she?"

The sergeant major looked at Hope, whose eyes carried an indecipherable burden.

"No. Not really, anyway."

"Could you bring Nia downstairs? Her favorite meal is almost ready, and I don't want her to miss out. She'll be upstairs, to the right."

She nodded and followed the directions to find Niang furiously brushing her hair, tears spilling from her grey eyes. Occasionally she would wipe them away, annoyed, and then go back to what she was doing.

"Easy on the brushing, sweetheart!" Zahira said, a slight laugh in her voice. "Let me do it."

The room was quiet save for Niang's sniffling. The teenager who was the picture of cool assuredness was gone, in her place a sad and frightened child. Her noble garb had been hung up in the mahogany armoire, a simple white shirt and navy pants on in their place. Her foster mother put down the brush and braided her raven hair, adding a red ribbon to it when she was done.

"It's so strange," Niang said, breaking the silence. "So much has changed, and yet when I come back here I feel like time has stood still. Everything's still in its place, though whether that was intentional or not I'm still trying to figure out." She paused, as if shocked by the outburst.

"You want to know, don't you? My story?"

Her foster mother sighed, sitting down after putting away the hairbrush.

"Yes."

* * *

_I was born during one of the largest snowfalls ever. My mother, Kateri, was used to it though. She was from the Water Tribes, yet possessed the rare traits of black hair and grey eyes. When she was seven, her family opened up a healing office in Ba Sing Se. They quickly rose to prominence and became the royal healers. It was here that she met my father, Zihao, a noble and son of the king's adviser. They quickly became best friends. At my mother's sixteenth birthday, he gave her a betrothal necklace. Four years later, they were married, and four years after that I came along._

_As a young child I was oblivious to my parents' growing dissatisfaction with their lives, themselves, and each other. But as I grew older, I became privy to it. Well, that and my father's wishes for me. He wanted nothing more than for me to be the perfect child._

"_Sit up, Niang!"_

"_Go study, Niang!"_

"_Stay quiet, Niang!"_

_Ugh, I can still hear his orders even now. They made me miserable, and the only person who realized it was Hope and her husband, Qiang. They were more my parents than my actual ones ever were, perhaps because they were the ones doing all the raising. My mother did her best though, and we were pretty close, but it almost seemed like father wanted nothing to do with me and Sov. We were there just to carry on the family bloodline._

_Father had wants-he was not satisfied with being a simple noble. He yearned to become one of the chief royal scholars. This meant that everyone had to act like the perfect Earth Kingdom noble family. My mother and I put a major wrinkle in his plans, however; we were both waterbenders, even though we didn't look it. My father got a lot of flack for it, and it was sometimes the reason why he didn't progress through the ranks as quickly. His biggest wish had been for me to earthbend; when that didn't happen, he became depressed and started to pursue brewing rice wine to take his mind off things. I was sent to live with Hope and Qiang to pursue my studies, which I didn't mind at all. For the first time in a long time, things were looking up._

_Of course, what goes up must come down. My father liked his rice wine a bit too much, and it wasn't uncommon for him to come crashing home at three in the morning black-out drunk. I was usually asleep by that time though, so I only had to deal with his crushing hangovers the next morning. But one night was different._

_It was about four in the morning, and I had had a nightmare. Scared, I went downstairs to find my mother, who usually waited up for my father when he was out late. The closer I got, the louder their voices were. I sat on the stairs and watched their argument with bated breath. My father lunged at my mother to grab hold of her wrists, but he accidentally sent boulders flying instead. Mother didn't stand a chance. I still remember the way she sunk to the floor, her life fleeing her body. I covered my mouth to stifle my scream and flew up the stairs to get Sovan. We arrived at Hope's door a few minutes later, where she hid us from our drunken father, who had started to look for us. I still remember holding my sleeping brother in my arms while we hid in her wardrobe, rocking him back and forth as I silently weeped._

_Her funeral was held a few days later, and a surprising amount of people came. Oh they tried their best to comfort me and tell me everything was okay, but I knew better. They expected me to be a mess but I wasn't. I had cried so much the night before that there was now an emotionless void. Some tears did trickle down my face, but not as many as on my father's. He played the role of grieving husband and father excellently. Since he thought we didn't witness anything, he told us that someone had broken into our house. Mother, hearing the noise, went down to see what happened and ended up getting killed. Pots and glass were broken for special effect. I knew better, though, and soon enough father did too. Later that night, he came into my room drunk, per usual. I tried to get him to his room, but he didn't listen. He became belligerent, and started beating me to a nice, bloody pulp. Hope found me bruised and unconscious a few minutes later. _

_The next thing I knew, Sov and I were in a caravan headed straight for Makapu. A letter I found on me said that my father would not come looking for me ever again-she probably came up with a good enough reason to keep him away. It also said that we were going to live with our godmother, who would take good care of us. That didn't work out, so we were sent to an abusive orphanage. I broke us out of there and we lived on the streets and in abandoned houses until I was awarded a Sato grant. We stayed there and honed our skills, and then we met you. So there it goes, and there it ends._

* * *

Zahira leaned back, taking in the information. At the end, she simply gave her foster daughter a hug.

"I'm so, so sorry for what's happened to you," she said. "Life for you hasn't been easy. I can only hope to provide the environment that you need."

Niang shyly smiled.

"You already have."


	31. Training Camp

I own everyone but Toph.

Keep the reviews coming!

Enjoy :)

* * *

The next day found the captain, Zahira, and Niang in the forests outside Ba Sing Se.

"Tell me Nia, why exactly did we wake up at three in the morning for a nature tour? Can't this wait?" Zahira said as she batted away bugs and branches.

"They start their training at five on the dot. I just want to get there with enough time to change into our outfits." the teenager said, taking some twisting turns here and there.

"Outfits?" Captain Hong asked, nearly tripping over a rock.

"Remember training camp and how they made you dress a specific way for it? Same principle applies here. Speaking of which," the teenager said, stopping to pull three bundles out of her bag. "You're going to need this."

The two officers caught the bundles that the teen threw to them and opened it. Inside was a drab green jumpsuit with a high collar that went to the elbows and knees. Next were two pieces of fabric that looked like an incomplete skirt. They looked up quizzically at Niang.

"For extra warmth," she clarified as she changed. "The maroon thigh piece goes first, and then the black belted one."

After that came gloves with maroon traction pieces that went up past the elbow. When put on, it looked like it was part of the jumper itself. Knit socks came after that. Boots that went up to the knee attached to the jumper through hidden hooks. Finally came the face coverings.

Goggles tinted green for enhanced vision went on first. Then went a slightly suffocating black mask that covered the entire face except for the mouth, as that was were the voice-altering mouthpiece went. A maroon scarf that concealed the end of the face mask and mouthpiece finished off the look.

"Hmm, these outfits remind of the ones the compound attackers wore," Zahira noted. "Do you know if they've traveled outside of their camp?"

"Last time I checked they didn't, but they could have gotten stronger," the teenager said. After walking a few more steps, she stopped. "Here we are," Niang said, pulling back some tree branches. Everyone gasped.

The simple camp Niang had told them about was gone, an extremely organized compound in its place. Large buildings rose up around three main areas. Swarms of similarly-dress soldiers marched out of the buildings and to the two main fields, which were split up into smaller areas.

"Come with me," the teen said, pulling them to one of the smaller fields. They found themselves marching with the beginner group, trying to blend in. At the leader's call, they fell into position. The leader examined each and every one of the people in his squad, stopping short when he found the three visitors.

"Now who are you?" he said, standing over an unflinching Niang.

"Me? I'm Cho, sir," she said innocently.

"Cho, eh? Don't you know where you're supposed to be?"

"Well, you see sir, it's that-"

"Forgive my niece sir," Captain Hong said. "It's our first day here, and we're not quite sure what were supposed to be doing."

The leader softened his stance slightly. "I see. Well, welcome Comrade-"

"Thanh, sir."

"Comrade Thanh. And you, comrade," he said, gesturing to Zahira, "Must be-"

"Hadiya, sir."

"Welcome to training, everyone. From now until 7 we have training, from 7 to 8:30 is breakfast, 8:30 to 11:45 is class, 12 to 1 is lunch, 1 to 3 is class, 3 to 5 training, 5 to 6 break, 6 to 8 dinner, and at 8:30 a special ceremony and surprise for our graduating class. Now let's get down to business!"

They went through the day like everyone else, but underneath they were dying to see what the surprise was. Finally, it was time for the special ceremony for the graduating class. All the trainees shuffled into the amphitheater, with the graduating members on the stage.

"Welcome, welcome!" The announcer boomed. "I and your comrade congratulate you students on your accomplishments today. But before we get down to it, we have a special surprise for you!"

Two soldiers dragged a struggling woman and boy on the stage. The trio's blood turned cold. Hong and Zahira only barely managed to keep Niang in her seat.

"Do you want to get us killed?" Zahira hissed.

"That's my brother and Toph up there! How do you think I'm supposed to react?"

"Hey kid, how good are you at subtly waterbending?" Hong asked.

"Pretty good, why?"

"Because it looks like there's a water pipe right next to you."

A plan began to form in Zahira's mind. She started a slight fire under the pipe. As soon as it was close to bursting, she loosened it, allowing Niang to waterbend an obscuring mist into the area. People ran everywhere, which provided enough of a distraction for the captain to free Sovan and Toph and take them to safety.

"What on earth are you doing here, Beifong? Taking a nine-year old into an extremely dangerous renegade camp, not to mention getting captured-"

"SOVAN!" Niang ran and hugged her little brother until he squirmed out of her vice grip as Zahira embraced her aunt. "Are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine sis, don't worry," he said, squeezing her hand. "Boy, do we have a story to tell you, though."


	32. A Visit With Toph

Sorry it took so long guys! I've been getting ready for school, and my laptop was broken :/

I wish I owned Tenzin, Lin, Toph, and Tarrlok, but I do own the others.

Enjoy! And don't hesitate to review :)

* * *

Tenzin woke up to his children kicking him in the stomach. Smiling, he rubbed Lin's stomach to calm them down, kissed her tenderly on the lips, then got up to shave.

"Was that thanks for last night?"

He turned around to find Lin sitting up, the sheets pulled over her body. Washing his head one last time, he came to the four-post bed and kissed her again.

"I'll take that as a yes. So what do you have going on today? I'll go into headquarters for a little to check up on some things, watch Korra's lesson, and maybe pick up a couple things since Korra's going to need some spring clothes. You?"

"I have to go in soon for a council meeting, as Tarrlok has a problem with everything and everyone. If I have time, I'll run a couple errands, and then go out on a picnic."

"A picnic? Sounds nice. Is it sans children or-?"

"If you want it to be. It's only tentative, though, considering the surprising workload both of us have."

"Hmm, true. Anyway, I've got to go," she said, giving Tenzin a tender kiss on the lips, pulling away slowly. "See you soon, lover boy."

Tenzin watched her walk down the hall in a daze. After a few minutes, he shook himself off, grabbed his glider, and leaped into the air, praying that today's session wouldn't run until the dead of night.

* * *

"Chief Beifong, there's a call from your mother. Should I put her through?"

Lin looked up from the reports she was completing at her desk.

"Please do."

After a few minutes, she picked up the phone.

"Mother, is this you? What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Easy, kiddo. Listen, are you in your office? Is anybody around?"

The chief looked around. Though there was no one around, she locked the windows and put a Do Not Disturb sign on her door, which she then locked as well.

"Nope, coast is clear. Seriously, what's going on?"

She heard the hesitation in her mother's voice.

"We've been tracing the bug men to this creepy training camp in the forests outside, because apparently that's where they all train. Anyways, everyone's been trained to believe that benders are the cause of all the problems in the world, and it's their duty to snuff them out like a candle."

"We kind of already knew that, mother."

"Let me finish, child. So while Zahira and Niang scouted out the area, Sovan and I decided to do some visiting in Ba Sing Se. It was nice-I caught up with the bounty hunter, visited with the king-"

"Get to the point please, I don't have all day-"

"And I watched in shock as Sovan accidentally bumped into Hiroshi Sato."

Lin nearly dropped the phone.

"What do you mean? I processed that crime scene, the amount of blood that was there guaranteed him to be-"

"Dead? Should have worked out that way. But come on, you never found it suspicious that there was no corpse at the crime scene?"

Suddenly everything snapped into place for Lin.

"Spirits, it's him! He's the one who's been planning it all along, hasn't he?"

"Looks like it, dear. Still doesn't fully explain the attack on the compound, though."

"Are you sure it's him, though?"

"Positive. His lumbering stroll is unlike anyone else's. I noticed some odd things, though."

"Oh, like people rising from the dead is normal?"

Lin could feel the scathing look her mother was giving her from the other end.

"Very funny. One, Sovan resembles Hiroshi more than anyone should."

"And you know this how?"

"Niang and Zahira backed me up on it. For one thing, they amble around in the same matter. For another, their body types are similar, except that Sovan's smaller and leaner. Third, they have the same green eyes and only a slight difference in hair color."

"Mom, there are tons of children in the world who could resemble Hiroshi. Plus, you thought Zahira and I were the same person until I was three."

"That was only one time! Besides, you two do walk similarly."

"What was the other odd thing you noticed?"

"That he may look fine on the outside, but in reality he's seething with rage."

Lin stood up and started pacing around the room.

"You don't think it's from the break-in, do you?"

"In a way, it is. You've been checking on Mizuki, right?"

She paused.

"I've tried. I went last week and her ribs had almost completely healed, but she was still in a lot of pain. Katara wanted to move her somewhere else."

"Have you been taking Asami with you to these visits?"

"I wanted to, but Mizuki was adamant that Asami not see her until she was completely healed, which I still find very strange. Why do you ask?"

There was an uncomfortable shift on the other end.

"Mizuki has been moved to Ba Sing Se," Lin said softly. "Whatever the attackers did to her, it severely messed with her chi pathways. She can hardly control her element anymore, and she has outbreaks that are extremely hard to control. It is feared that if she can't control herself, she could seriously injure Asami."

Lin plopped into her chair and held her head in her hands.

"Oh Mizuki," Lin breathed. "How long will it take for her to heal?"

"Just to get her element under control will take about four months. Mastery of it will take years, not to mention her healing physically, psychologically, and spiritually. All in all, Mizuki may take up to 20 years before she returns to her normal self. And that's if she sticks by the timeline."

The women paused, letting the news fully sink in.

"So what are we going to do?" Lin asked.

"You're coming back to my house, for one thing. If Hiroshi's alive and possessing anti-bending sentiment, I shudder to think what he would do to you, Tenzin, and the children. I've already moved your stuff back."

"Not that I'm not grateful mother, but I am a grown woman. I can handle myself."

"I know you can, but it's for your unborn children that I'm most concerned about. After all, you may be carrying the next airbenders. Besides, if there was trouble on the island, the fastest ship would still take half an hour to reach you."

"I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?"

"Nope. I've got to go kiddo, so I'll see you soon."

* * *

While one could always count on Tarrlok being problematic, one definitely couldn't count on who he'd pick a bone with or how long it would take to subdue him. Thankfully, his problems were so minute that everyone decided to call it a day at noon. Relieved to be out while the sun was, he flew towards the nicer area of Republic City with knots in his stomach. After dropping down, he nervously knocked on the door with the flying bison.

"Tenzin!" Naran exclaimed, enveloping him in a hug. "It's so good to see you again! Please, come in, I just made a pot of tea."

Naran showed him to the couch and rushed off to the kitchen. Her daughter walked in, sleepy-eyed from her nap, but ran to her uncle upon seeing him.

"I've missed you Takara," he said, settling her on his lap. "So how have your bending lessons been going?"

The little girl happily babbled on about her favorite blindfold and her stances while her mother served her and Tenzin milky tea with dim sum. After she was done Takara happily bounced outside to play with some pebbles.

"I'll take you to Toph's study," Naran said. "That is the reason you were here in the first place."

They walked in just as the metalbending founder ended her conversation with Lin over the phone. Naran left in the hopes that they would have privacy.

"About time you came by, junior," she said without turning around. "I was beginning to wonder."

Toph swiveled her chair around as to face the airbender. Tenzin, slightly pale, sank down into the chair facing her.

"You've come to ask for my daughter's hand, haven't you?"

Tenzin nodded.

"Not to sound rude, but if you really loved her wouldn't you have proposed a while ago?"

"Believe me, I would have. In fact, I was ready to by the time we turned 16."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

A box was produced from Tenzin's robes, which he motioned Toph to open. Her gaze softened upon feeling the contents.

"You really do love her," she breathed, fingering the carvings on the betrothal necklace. "Have you had this since you were 16?"

"I was 15, actually, though I had started to design it a bit earlier. Uncle Sokka taught me how to carve-poor guy spent ages just getting me to hold the knife correctly. I fully perfected it a couple weeks before her birthday. I was dead-set on giving it to her when I realized what the repercussions of such a gift would be. So I switched it out for some chopsticks, an anklet, and a book instead. She really seemed to enjoy it, but I still wonder what it would have been like to give the necklace to her."

They lapsed into silence, Toph still playing with the necklace.

"She still has them, you know. Every gift you ever gave her. The bookcase you gave her when she was 14 holds all the books, smoothed-out pebbles marking spaces where she left off. Her jewelry box is the same one you carved for her seventeenth birthday."

Toph put the necklace back into the box and handed it over to Tenzin.

"It's hard to believe that anyone is deserving of my Lin. But you've always been different, and not because of your airbending. Promise me you'll take care of her and love her and treat her like she deserves to be."

Tenzin stood up.

"I will."


	33. Just Ask Her

Sorry it took so long to update! School kind of gets in the way :/ I'll still update, but if anything it will only be weekly.

Please R&R! And enjoy :3

* * *

Tenzin sat on his favorite outcrop on Air Temple Island, meditating under a flowering tree. He had set out a blanket and had prepared a picnic lunch of vegetable stew, dumplings, suncakes for dessert, and a canister of Lin's favorite tea. The fragrant afternoon breeze reminded him of another picnic very similar to the one in front of him.

_Nervously he sat under the tree, fidgeting with his robes. Lin had turned seventeen in Gaoling a couple weeks ago when she and Naran returned for a spring vacation. He looked down at his gift, which was an intricately designed mahogany box with carvings of earth bending, Gaoling, and Republic City. He opened up the inside to find the betrothal necklace he had carved for her birthday last year. Picking it up, he shoved it into a pocket with a sigh._

"_We're probably not ready yet," he mumbled, returning to meditation. It wasn't until a boulder struck him in the head that he noticed Lin had come._

"_You're such an Airhead," Lin laughed before kissing him tenderly. "Hi."_

"_Hi," he said rather dreamily, playing with her long black hair. "Hope you're hungry-I made lunch."_

_He gestured to the spread of stews and wraps before them, with soups and teas in special canisters. The box lay behind Tenzin, just out of Lin's line of sight. Beaming, she snuggled into Tenzin's arms and started to eat._

"_So how's your training going?" he asked. She had just been accepted into the training academy for the Metalbending police force, and was already turning into one of their best._

"_It's going," she replied while sipping on her soup. "It's only basics, and since I learned those ages ago, it's kind of boring."_

"_You don't really have a choice, Lin."_

"_I know," she said, slightly pouting. "That's why I've decided to study on Kyoshi Island for a year."_

_He nearly spit his tea out. "What?!" he sputtered, wiping his mouth. "You aren't being serious, are you?"_

"_I am too! Mother has arranged for Aunt Suki to take me as soon as my class is over."_

"_That's in three weeks! When were you going to tell me any of this? Or were you going to tell me any of this? Why do you have to go away to study techniques anyway?"_

"_I have to do this for me, Tenzin! Don't give me any grief about it either, last time I checked you studied at all the temples when you were trying to master airbending! Since when do you get worked up about something like this? Usually you would be the one to push towards it!"_

_Tenzin blushed slightly. "I love you."_

_Lin's face softened. She opened her mouth to say something._

"_I love you too Tenzin."_

"Ow!" Tenzin exclaimed, shaken from his memory by a nicely placed rock to the head. Lin let out a hearty laugh.

"Good to know you're back with us," she smirked before giving him a quick kiss. "Hi."

"Hi," he replied dreamily. "Hope you haven't eaten yet, because I brought a lot to tide us over."

"Really? Thanks!"

The two sat in silence as they ate their meal. Lin snuggled close to him, leaving her head on his chest. Soon she noticed him looking at her, a warm, loving gaze in his eyes.

"What?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

"I'm thanking my lucky stars that I have you," he said before kissing her. "But in all honesty, I brought you here today because I have something for you."

"Really?" she asked, grinning. "What for?"

Tenzin produced from his robes a small rectangular box and offered it to Lin. She quizzically took and opened it. Upon seeing the contents, she gasped, taken aback by the present.

"Is that what I think it is?" she said, gently lifting the betrothal necklace out of its case.

"Yes. I love you more than anything, and I will always love you. I want you to be the first thing I see in the morning and the last thing I see at night, and when I'm old and grey I want you to be in the rocking chair next to me, holding my hand and laughing at the antics of our grandchildren. Lin Beifong, will you marry me?"

Lin averted her gaze, not wanting him to see the tears of joy in her eyes.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I love you Tenzin."


	34. Something's Wrong!

Sorry I've been away for so long! School isn't exactly conductive for story writing haha.

Anyways, R & R! And have a happy holiday!

* * *

The two shared a tender kiss. After breaking away, Tenzin motioned for the necklace. Lin quickly gave it to him, and within a flourish and two knots it was safely and prominently displayed on her neck. She looked at it with wonder and was moving in for a second kiss when they heard a rustling. Lin was about to move towards it when Tenzin motioned her to stop. He silently airbended the golden flowers by their feet away to reveal the source.

"Korra? What are you doing here?" the couple said in unison.

The little girl simply giggled and ran towards her mother, interested in the shiny bauble that now adorned her neck.

"Mommy, what's this?" Korra said, her small fingers running over the carvings.

Tenzin and Lin gazed at each other, smiles lighting their faces.

"In your culture, men present the women they love with necklaces signifying their commitment to each other. Soon afterwards a wedding is held, binding the two in matrimony until they part."

"I don't get it daddy-what are you saying?"

Lin laughed. "It means Daddy and I are getting married, water lily!"

Korra screamed out of happiness and tackled her father, who lifted her onto his shoulders and spin around in the flowers until they fell from dizziness. Lin watched with amusement, her hands resting on her rather large stomach. Katara and Toph sat on the porch, watching the happy scene playing out before their eyes.

"Spirits, it's about time they got engaged!" Toph exclaimed. "I was beginning to wonder if Tenzin was just humoring me."

"The confidence you have in my son is astounding," Katara replied sarcastically before turning back to the scene. "They make such a happy family, don't they Toph?"

"Yeah, they do," Toph said, looking into the distance. "So what do you have planned?"

"I have no idea what you mean, Toph Beifong."

The earthbending master's eyes narrowed slightly. "Katara, you have been planning this union since they were children, at least in jest. You have to have _something_."

Katara sighed. "Well, I do have a few ideas. One of them's going to involve your metalbending skills, though…"

Toph was about to reply when they spotted Bumi running towards them. He soon appeared in front of the two friends, panting and red-faced from the run.

"Bumi, dear, what's going on? Why are you so red?" Katara asked her son.

"There are ships coming towards us!"

"I don't know if you've noticed Bumi, but this is an island. Ships come here all the time," Toph said sarcastically.

"Yes, normal ships. Not metal sided battleships that aren't part of the forces, Aunt Toph!"

Katara's eyes widened. "We've got to get them off the island! Bumi, go get them and leave on Oogi. We need eyes in the sky to see what's going on. Toph, meet me down at the dock."

"Mom, I'm not leaving you!"

"That's not an option, that's an order!" Katara yelled, and then quickly softened. "Son, I need to know that you'll be okay, and that they'll be as well. Now go, you don't have much time!"

Bumi fumbled around in his pocket for an air bison whistle, and upon finding called for Oogi. In the meantime, Bumi ran to his brother and his family.

"Lin, listen to me very carefully," upon finding the chief metalbender. "The creepy bugmen who attacked the compound are on their way here right now. Go get Tenzin and Korra, because Oogi's about to take us back to the Beifong compound. Mom's already starting to bend an obscuring mist, and Tenzin's an airbender, so we'll be able to get there unharmed. Go, now!"

Oogi soon landed. Bumi and Tenzin helped the girls into the saddle, after which Tenzin jumped in front to lead. The United Forces officer settled himself in the back while Lin held onto Korra, humming a soothing lullaby until she fell asleep.

* * *

Katara and Toph had been holding their own, for the most part. The waterbending master had bent the mist long enough for her family to get away. Unfortunately, it had also obscured the enemy ships, and only now was it becoming apparent that they were far closer than expected. In fact, they could have swum to the island if they wanted to.

"Have any thoughts on what we should do, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked, dropping into her defense pose.

"I do have one idea-when was the last time you practiced sandbending?"

Toph moved her hands upward, her body shaking from exertion. Sandbars magically appeared out of nowhere, beaching the ships. Toph rose up and wiped her hands off.

"Well, that took care of it," Toph said, and was about to walk back to the house when she heard the crackle of electricity behind her.


	35. You Knew?

Bumi watched the events unfold as Korra latched onto Lin, eyes wide with fear.

"Uncle Bumi, is everything going to be okay?" she asked.

The military officer turned to face his niece. He couldn't exactly lie to her, but he couldn't really tell her the truth either…

"We'll be okay," he said. "We're just going to Grandma Toph's house for a while, hun."

Korra simply nodded and snuggled as close as she could to Lin. A few minutes and a soothing lullaby later, she was sound asleep. Lin made a small space for her on the saddle and moved closer to Bumi.

"How's it looking down there?" she asked.

"Not as well as they had hoped. Your mom beached the ships, but it seems they were able to get closer."

Lin looked closer at the scene below.

"Is it just me Bumi, or are they already on the dock?"

Bumi peered closer, eyes widening with realization.

"Oh man, they are! Okay Lin, move back for a bit. I'm pulling out the big guns."

The chief metalbender merely raised an eyebrow.

"Look, Boom, whatever you're about to do is probably-"

Bumi then sunk down into a stance. He then moved as if he were creating a water whip but used the earthbending form for compressing rock. Within minutes, the dock was destroyed, and anyone on it underwater. The wood-bender turned around to find Tenzin looking at him, mouth wide open from shock.

"Since when could you-how-" the airbender sputtered, then cleared his throat. "Did you just-"

"Woodbend? That would be an affirmative."

Toph sensed bugmen already on the docks. Panic threatened to override her thoughts, but she quickly reined it in as a plan for getting rid of them started to form.

"Katara, do me a favor. Take this tide and create a huge wave. While you're doing that I'm going to sink the sandbanks containing the ships down and move the ships away from the dock area. Got it?"

"Got it. Let's do this!"

The two friends were in the middle of their task when they heard an odd cracking sound.

"What the-"

"Don't lose concentration Katara!"

Within minutes the ships were below water, their contents flooded out by the large wave Katara had made. A burning smell was in the air, caused by the electric batons meeting salt water. The friends were about to board the dock when they realized there wasn't one. In fact, it was almost as if it was never there.

"How did this happen?"

"Hold on Sugar Queen, I'm looking." Toph crouched on the ground, using a hand to steady herself. After a few minutes, she got up and dusted herself off.

"There weren't any explosives on the wood, nor were there any near the pillars. The wood wasn't that old, and considering that the wood is uniformly bent and splintered it wasn't caused by the tsunami you created either."

Katara mulled it over until her eyes came alight with realization. "Are you seriously saying that the wood was _bent?_"

"Exactly. Now let's go back to my place. If anything, Tenzin and the others may have seen what happened."

"Wait, so we're going to leave the island, which could potentially have a rampant woodbender with an inclination for destroying things, to visit our family?"

"Well...yeah."

The waterbender threw her hands up in the air. "Fine, we'll have it your way. Come on, there's a boat in the back."

By the time the women got home, everyone had settled in. Lin was reading to Korra and Takara, Naran was going over wedding plans with Azula, and Bumi and Tenzin were talking about different bending styles.

"Hi everybody, we're back and we kicked some serious Bugmen butt," Toph yelled. "Oh, and Bumi dear, congrats on your bending. Your mother and I are so proud."

Bumi reddened a bit. "Thanks Aunt Toph."

Katara turned to her friend. "Wait, you knew?"

"Of course I knew. When he was 12 I caught him bending a tree into a figurine for Zahira. Besides, did you seriously think that Bumi was a non-bender? Airbending parents always have bending children, remember?"

"Speaking of my lovely wife," Bumi interjected. "Where is she?"

Zahira then burst through the door, clothes ripped and arms bleeding. She fell into her husband's arms, her body heaving with exhaustion.

"Help," she softly said, before passing out.


	36. Storytelling

Please R&R!

Also, hope everyone had a good New Year's :)

* * *

Bumi held onto his wife's hand tightly as Katara tended to her wounds in a guest bedroom. Tenzin paced outside the door while Lin read a book, her fidgeting betraying her nervousness. After a few minutes, the metalbender felt a hand on her shoulder, which made her jump.

"You can't do that to me, Aunt Azula," Lin laughed. "My water could have broken!"

"Very funny," the firebender said. "How far along are you anyway? You're bigger than an armadillo bear!"

Lin smiled as she placed a hand on her protruding stomach. "I'm about three weeks away from my due date. I can't wait, but I'm also really-"

"Scared?" Azula interjected, eyebrow raised.

Lin nodded.

"Don't worry dear, it's completely normal. In fact, I'd be more surprised if you completely okay." Azula looked around. "Why don't we go for a walk?"

* * *

Azula strolled with her niece on one of the many paths that winded through the expansive greens and gardens that made up the Beifong's backyard. Flowering vines were being trained to crawl through the hedges, and their buds were exclamation points among the many shades of green.

"Spring is such a beautiful time of year, isn't it Aunt Azula?" Lin said as she breathed in the crisp air.

"You are _such_ an earthbender," her aunt smirked. "I admit I'm partial to summer, but this is nice weather."

The two women ambled along in content silence. Azula cleared her throat.

"My dear niece, I feel that as your aunt and as a parent I should offer you some parenting tips."

Lin restrained herself from letting out a groan. "Like what?"

"For one, feed them before their bedtime-they won't be as likely to wake you up in the middle of the night. And when they teeth, give them something soft like a rag or a ring covered in cloth so they won't hurt themselves."

Lin silently processed this information as they walked along. Azula put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not exactly soft and mushy, so enjoy this while you can. At times you may have no idea what you're doing, but take a step back and realize that no one really does. However, one thing I know for certain is that you will be a great mother."

The metalbender gave her aunt a slightly teary hug. "Thanks Aunt Azula."

Silence reigned again. This time it was Lin who broke it.

"Aunt Azula, did you know who my father was?"

The elder looked over with a questioning gaze. "Where is this coming from? You've never asked about him before."

"I know I haven't, but the time is going to come where my kids ask me who and where their grandfather is. I want to be prepared."

Azula motioned to a bench. "Your father, Kun Li, was a top-notch earthbender-we were under the same commander. However, he was in a training accident where he was blinded. He was honorably discharged, and a day afterwards signed up for the metalbending force. That's where he and your mother formally met."

"Formally?"

"Toph came to base often to teach metalbending, and while she worked with him a lot they never really spoke. When he joined the police force though, they really bonded. They had many similarities-they were tough, sarcastic, loyal. Soon enough they became an item-not that anyone knew, of course."

Lin laughed but grew serious. "Did he get to meet me?"

"Yes. Kun Li was there when you were born-there couldn't have been a man happier than he. He had left to tell his family and was on his way back home when he was severely beaten up by Yakone's gang. They thought he was someone else, but didn't realize until too late. Toph got there in time to tell him goodbye. He died in her arms."

The metalbender sat back, absorbing the story. "Wow, that's so sad. No wonder my mom wanted Yakone put away so badly-he killed my dad."

The firebender nodded.

"Thank you for telling me. It means a lot."

"No problem kid-but I can also show you too."

* * *

The two benders were on their way to Azula's room when they were stopped by Katara.

"Zahira's been through a beating, but I've managed to heal most her wounds-she just needs rest now. But she did tell me something that you'll want to hear especially, Lin."

"Why me?"

"It involves Hiroshi Sato. He's here in Republic City, and he's brought some bugmen in tow."


	37. Hiroshi Tells All

Hi everyone! I'm sorry the wait took so long, but it's finally over. Hope this chapter makes it worth it :)

* * *

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Hiroshi Sato is in town, right now, with the people who attacked the compound in tow," Katara said gravely.

Azula and Lin's eyes widened in shock.

"Where's Korra?" the metalbender demanded, her throat tightening in fear.

"She's in her room," Katara said as she and the others walked down the hall. "She's practicing healing on a dummy last time I checked."

They continued to walk until they found Korra's room. Jiggling the knob, Azula opened the door to find...nothing. The trio hesitantly walked in the room, and then started tearing it apart. Sheets were torn off the bed, and clothes thrown out of the dresser. Panicked, Lin darted out of the room.

"And what do you think you're doing?" Katara asked.

"I'm going outside to find my daughter. Give me one good reason that I can't get her!"

"I can give you two. One, you're 32 weeks pregnant, and two, you're 32 weeks pregnant with what quite possibly could be the world's last airbenders."

The chief metalbender snorted disdainfully and waddled outdoors.

She made it not two steps outside before she was sucked into the earth.

* * *

Lin had always hated the darkness.

Her mother always teased her good-naturedly about it-after all, she dealt with darkness on a daily basis. Even as a child though, she knew that only bad things happened in the dark.

"Ah Chief, so good of you to join us," a voice echoed. "Dearie me, where are my manners? Let me turn on a light."

A small flick was heard, and within seconds a large floodlamp glowed above Lin's head. Not five feet in front of her was a casually leaning Hiroshi Sato. Niang, who was bound to a chair, served as an armrest.

"Lin, Lin, Lin, Lin, Lin," he tutted. "My, the problems you have caused me. I'd thought you'd learned your place by now, but it doesn't look like it."

Lin tried to lunge at him only to find that she herself was bound.

"Oh yes, your bindings. We couldn't have you up and bend yourself and my daughter out of here, could you?"

"Your daughter?!" Lin sputtered.

"That's right," he purred. "And isn't she a gem?"

"Get away from me!" the teenager snarled after he tried to caress her face.

"But she can be a pain at times too," he said unfazed. "So Lin, now the tables have turned. So tell me, what's it like to have the rug, or should I say earth, taken from under your feet?"

"Is this the chapter where everyone screams 'Don't say anything?'" Niang quipped.

"No, I think it's the one where the killer confesses everything to us," Lin replied.

"YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT IT'S THAT CHAPTER!" Hiroshi yelled, his face turning crimson with rage. Calming down, he arranged himself to speak.

"All I wanted to be was chief scholar in the court of Ba Sing Se, was that too much to ask? I was a top notch earthbender. I could read, write and speak all dialects of the Earth Kingdom-but everything, and I mean everything, went down the drain the minute I fell for that, that _waterbender_!"

Niang's eyes narrowed to slits, but said nothing.

"The court shunned me, told me I was a fool for marrying another race. In public it rolled off my back but on the inside I seethed with rage. Do you know what it's like to have your own family be the weight that drags you down? Well of course you do Lin, what with your mother's disability and all..."

Lin's lips parted into a snarl, and her fist clenched. With a quiver of her fingers Hiroshi tripped and landed face down on the ground. Undeterred, he dusted himself off and continued to give his soliloquy.

"My only solace was in making rice wine. One night I had enjoyed too much of my batch, and I came stumbling into my home nearly black-out drunk. My wife prepared to bend some of the alcohol out of my system, but I thought she would bloodbend me and so I tried to crush her hands, when I crushed her chest instead.

I knew the minute I saw her still body that I would never be able to stay. So I pulled a few strings, and before I knew it I had a new face and a new identity. I had planned on dedicating my life to that of running a business when I fell in love yet again. I felt as if the world was starting again-and when Asami was born, why, I was the happiest fellow alive!

I didn't forget about bending though, and it took all my willpower not to bend myself. It would flare up uncontrollably, and at times I took all I had not to destroy anything. However, over time, my bending got weaker and weaker from disuse; it wasn't long before I realized it was almost completely gone. This is around the time I met, or should I say re-met, my children's crazy godmother Xin Li. Oh she was a nut all right - always had been. At that time she was hell-bent on revenge against me, and so I promised her that we'd be able to find me. So we teamed up."

"That must have gone so well," Lin replied sarcastically.

Hiroshi glared at her. "She soon realized that I was leading her on a wild swangoose chase, so she left to go train with the Diagunis. I thought I had gotten off scot-free until the Hunters came, thinking I had destroyed the compound."

"You didn't?" Niang and Lin said, slightly disbelievingly.

"No!" Hiroshi yelled. "I don't even know where the compound is-or is it was? But Xin Li did. She had become radicalized and thought that bending, especially the Avatar, was the source of all evil in the world. So she handpicked an elite group of Diaguni and attacked the place with what I'm assuming was lethal precision."

"Well, you wouldn't be wrong," Lin begrudgingly admitted.

"Listen, what does this have to with us? Better yet, what are the Hunters?"

"The Hunters are an elite Earth Kingdom group that does off-the-books work," Lin explained. "Due to the nature of their work, they're not supposed to exist. The only reason I know about them is because I worked a few jobs with them."

"Back to me," Hiroshi declared. "I sucked you two down here because I've caught wind of rumor that says that Xin Li will be docking here in three days. I intend to keep you down here for protection."

"Wait, you want us as a shield?" Niang said, disgusted.

Hiroshi made no answer, but dropped down to the ground as if he were listening to something and then stood back up as if nothing had happened. Hurriedly he walked over to the duo and started undoing their bindings.

"Lin, there's an easily bendable piece of metal over your head. Take Niang with you."

"But-"

"Just do it! GO!"

He watched as Lin waved her arms to form the opening, and as she closed it shut after she and Niang were outside. Slowly he slouched into a chair, and wept as he realized the last chances he had at freedom were gone.


	38. The Calm Before The Storm

Hope you enjoy! We're almost near the end!

Please R&R, I would really appreciate it!

* * *

"What on earth was that about?" Niang asked, dusting herself off. "I've never seen anyone so bipolar!"

"You obviously haven't caught me in midst of a mood swing," Lin cracked. "I'll admit, there's something fishy about the entire thing though. We were his captives, and then he just let us go?"

"Oh thank heavens you're okay!" Toph enveloped her daughter in a bear hug, as did Azula with Niang. "You've been down there for three hours!"

"What? Why didn't you get us sooner? And where's my daughter?"

"Hey, I tried my best! I had to let you stay down there, lest I unleash the biggest threat this world's seen since the Hundred Years War!" Toph said defensively. "And she was napping in my linen cabinet, much like a certain daughter of mine did when she was her age."

Lin's posture slackened as relief coursed through body, but soon tightened up again. "What do you mean you could have unleashed a threat? What threat are you talking about?"

"Chief, maybe Toph's referring to Hiroshi? The fact that he's under there can't be coincidental."

Lin eyed the teenager, mentally mulling over new developments.

"What's she talking about, Linny?" Toph asked.

"Zahira's intel? Most likely wrong," Lin stated, swiveling her head to face her mother. "They're not attacking us in three weeks; they're attacking us in three _days_. Also, Hiroshi? Not the guy who attacked the compound or even Z's fleet."

"What?" Azula said, mouth dropping. "He had to have, there's no one else-"

"Everyone get inside now!" Toph barked, hand resting on the ground. Standing up, she shooed everyone inside before crawling on the ground once more. After a good half hour, she joined the group in a sitting room.

"As you more or less know, there's an expansive network of underground tunnels here in Republic City," Toph started. "However, what most people don't know is that a large group of them meet right under my house. This was intentionally done; if any of the Gaang needed to meet, we could do so without being seen."

"But Toph, what does this have to do with anything?" Niang asked, worry creasing her smooth face.

"I was just getting to that part. You see, there are a large group of Dianguni gathered in the area below my house, and they are _very _close to discovering how to get out."

"Close? How close?" Katara said worriedly from the doorway.

Toph looked down at the floor. "Three days."

A somber silence descended upon the group. Only Zahira, supported in part by her husband, broke it.

"Lin, we need to get you home."

* * *

The next day Lin started to pack her small family up for the trip back to Air Temple Island; or rather, Lin watched amusedly from her bed as Tenzin tried to pack their clothes while Korra was "swimming" in them. It wasn't until Katara, shaking with quiet laughter, forcibly dragged Korra out of the room for training that a flustered Tenzin was able to successfully pack everyone up.

"Here, let me help you," he said, giving a hand to Lin as she struggled to get off the bed. "Zahira and Toph are also coming home with us. Oogi's outside, so it shouldn't take more than half an hour to go home."

Lin paused for a moment. "Wait, you aren't staying?"

"No," Tenzin replied crisply. "I do have a responsibility to Republic City, but a greater one to my family. I am staying with you."

She couldn't suppress a grin as her fiancé sweetly kissed her. Holding hands, they departed upon their sky bison back home.

* * *

Back at the Beifong estate, Katara brewed tea as Toph, Azula, and Niang pored over maps of Republic City's sewer system. They accepted the offered tea with gratitude and then went right back to studying.

"How are the defenses looking?" Katara asked as she set a new kettle of water to boil.

"Not good," Toph said, running her hands through her hair. "I've walked through the entire city, and their forces shift on a whim. The only factor that stays constant is the large mass of soldiers under my house. As soon as I locate someone, it's like they vanish."

"But how are we supposed to defend the city against a phantom menace?" Niang asked.

Azula sighed. "We do what we have to do, kid. We do what we have to do."


End file.
